


Thor and Vanitas: The Dark World

by The_Unlimited



Series: Light and Avengers [3]
Category: Kingdom Hearts, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Add in of new characters, Crossover, F/M, OC Vanitas, Post-Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, Pre-Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:54:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 26,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22852834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Unlimited/pseuds/The_Unlimited
Summary: Our favorite amnesiac pyrotechnic gets himself caught up helping his old pal, Thor, stop a dark elf from using something called the Aether to coat all worlds in darkness. For some reason, this reminds him of a long haired dude he just killed a few days ago. Oh, and to top it all off, Thor's girlfriend and brother have to tag along because somehow the Aether is inside her, and Loki needs to help. Things are getting crazier in his life by the day. But hey, at least his girlfriend's assistant is hot
Relationships: Fandral & Hogun & Sif & Thor & Volstagg, Jane Foster/Thor, Vanitas & Avengers Team
Series: Light and Avengers [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1479848
Comments: 12
Kudos: 13





	1. "I've gotta stop getting myself into these situations"

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, I added a bit of words from Vanitas' mindset into the summary, if you couldn't tell

On the planet Vanaheim, veritable hell was breaking loose. Citizens were running across fields as enemies blasted lasers over their heads, and warriors fought in the place they were just running from. Soldiers in armor fought various beings with horns coming out of their heads, sword to sword. Lady Sif rode along on a horse, twirling a sword in preparation, before she ducked an upwards strike by a creature, and she leaned so far back that she fell off of her horse. But she got back up in just enough time to only be on the defensive for a few seconds, then going onto the offensive, pretty quickly.

Sif knocked aside the creature with her shield. Nearby, Volstagg knocked down one with his battle-axe, then knocked two to the ground with his weapon. Nearby, two more soldiers appeared out of the woods and shot laser guns at the running people, hitting the structures nearby. Volstagg knocked down another soldier, but then Sif found herself facing a creature pointing a blaster right at her.

Suddenly, grey and rainbow colored energy surged into the ground in front of her, encasing the creature. Sif raised her shield in defense to make sure she didn't get hurt by the energy surge as well. A familiar hammer flew out of the energy past Sif and knocked aside a creature. It then flew back towards the energy as it faded, revealing Thor standing there. Mjolnir flew back towards Thor, and he caught it easily.

Thor looked around, curious, just in time to see villainous creatures running towards him. He jumped over two and slammed Mjolnir into the ground, causing an electrical shockwave that knocked down the enemies that had surrounded him, splattering dirt into the air. He looked up through the violence at Sif.

"I've got this completely under control!" Sif yelled at Thor.

"Is that why everything's on fire?" Thor asked her.

He smirked slightly before an enemy tackled him. Soldiers continued to fight off the alien creatures with their swords. Fandral and Hogun fought off the creatures pretty well. Even when Fandral got hit in the face, he grabbed another creature's arm and had it fire its gun randomly through the air. He took out the creature pretty easily.

The battle raged all over, en which Thor and Sif took on various creatures and soldiers pretty easy. They might have gotten smacked in the face or knocked to the side, but it barely fazed the Asgardians. Thor threw his hammer through the air towards one creature, and Sif saved him from a shot with an arrow with her shield.

"You're welcome," she told him as he stared at her.

Thor then got shot in the armor, so Mjolnir flew back into his hand, and he knocked that soldier in the leg with his hammer, sending it in a large twirling mess onto the ground, splattering more dirt into the air. They got ready for more fighting before roaring from nearby paused everyone's fighting. Thor and Sif turned towards the sound of loud thudding to see a large being made out of rocks walked towards them. The enemy army parted for the being as it carried its club-like blaster in its right hand.

Thor sighed out at the sight of the creature. A soldier got too close to the rock creature as it walked along, so the creature knocked him aside with his club easy, eliciting cheers from the enemy soldiers.

"All yours," Sif told Thor.

He looked at Sif, annoyed, before looking up at the rock creature walking towards him. Thor just walked towards it as the enemy soldiers all cheered for the rock creature. The creature slammed its club into the ground then moved it to its left hand, before roaring out in defiance.

"Hello," Thor told the creature as he stopped in front of it.

It just simply roared in his face.

"I accept your surrender," Thor told it.

All the enemy soldiers laughed at Thor, and he smiled along with them. He then started spinning Mjolnir by its strap in his right hand, but before he could do anything, a rocket flew past him and into the rock soldier, destroying it in a fire-y mess that spewed out many rocks onto the ground. Where the rock soldier was minutes before was a giant, burning pile of rocks. Thor protected himself from the blast by holding up his arms in defense, similar to when he once fought Vanitas Jordan.

_Wait a second_ , Thor thought as he lowered his arms.

He looked behind himself to see Vanitas Jordan walking out of the slightly burning woods, resting a rocket launcher on his right shoulder. Stunned soldiers turned towards the scarred faced, raven haired boy as he walked onto the battlefield.

"Hey, Thor!" Vanitas called out to his friend with a smile on his face. "How's it hanging?"

"Friend Vanitas!" Thor called out to his fellow Avenger. He looked to where the pile of rocks was and pointed Mjolnir at it. "I _had_ it!"

"You're welcome!" Vanitas told him.

Three soldiers cried out in defiance and ran at Vanitas. He hit one with horns in the head with his empty rocket launcher. He then pulled his machete out of its sheath and stabbed it in the stomach. He jumped up into the air and cut off its head, moving quickly enough to kick the horned head into the the chest of a soldier with black skin. The horns stabbed through the soldiers armor, causing him to cry out in pain. Vanitas then pulled out his freshly loaded Micro Uzi and shot at it, hitting the soldier multiple times. Vanitas then stabbed the soldier in the stomach with his machete and picked him up. He tossed the soldier into the third soldier with wild hair with his machete, knocking him to the ground. Vanitas aimed his Uzi at the downed soldier and shot at it until it was dead.

Vanitas looked up to see five more soldiers with their weapons drawn in front of him.

"Five to one," Vanitas announced, crossing his arms. "This almost doesn't seem fair. Maybe if I put down my machete, you guys might stand a chance."

But he didn't get to try anything because lightning came down from the air and electrocuted all five until they all fell to the ground, dead. Vanitas looked up at Thor, who was lowering Mjolnir.

"I had it," Vanitas told Thor with a cocky smile.

"You're welcome," Thor told him, cocky smile on his own face. He dropped the smile as he looked towards the remaining soldiers. "Anyone else?"

All the soldiers lowered their weapons and kneeled in submission.

"I gotta hang out with you more often," Vanitas remarked.

"Perhaps next time we should _start_ with the big one," Fandral suggested.

"I'll bring a bigger rocket," Vanitas offered, picking up his empty launcher.

Thor made quick introductions between Vanitas and his Asgardian friends. Vanitas got along with pretty much everybody, mostly because he was glad to finally not be the only badass in a group. They helped the people recover from the attacks of the creatures, and move the prisoner creatures along with the soldiers.

"It's good to see you again, Friend Vanitas," Thor told him as they walked along. "Where is young Sora, Sir Goofy, and Mage Donald?"

"It's been a little while for us since New York," Vanitas admitted. "We ended up in a place that used to belong to me taken over by some powerful pricks. They used a girl named Naminé to mess with my friends' memories, and we killed them. But now Sora, Donald, and Goofy have to sleep in order for Naminé to restore their memories."

"That is unfortunate," Thor told him. "I hope our friends will be okay."

"You and me both," Vanitas admitted, crossing his arms. "I care for that little bastard like he's a brother."

"Wait, he's not your brother?" Thor asked.

"I understand the confusion," Vanitas admitted. "But he is not my sibling. Well, anyway, what's up with you?"

Instead of answering, Thor looked over to the right to see Hogun walking towards him.

"Where do we go next?" Hogun asked Thor.

"Hogun, the peace is nearly won across the Nine Realms," Thor told him. "You should stay here. Be with your people, where your heart is. Asgard can wait."

"Yeah, if these people really need your help, you oughta stay and help them," Vanitas added. "Help the little guy, you know."

"You have my thanks," Hogun told Thor with a smile.

"As you have mine," Thor told him as the two shook hands.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sir Vanitas," Hogun told Vanitas before turning and walking towards the people.

"Likewise!" Vanitas called out after him. He looked up at Thor. "Nice guy."

"Yeah, he's real nice," Thor told him. "What are you doing now?"

"Not much, I'm pretty much just wandering around doing whatever while Naminé's helping the boys," Vanitas told him. "Why?"

"I'll need help finishing bringing peace to the Nine Realms," Thor told him. "And I feel another Avenger might make a difference."

Vanitas sighed out and muttered to himself, "I've gotta stop getting myself into these situations."

"All right, I'm in," Vanitas told him. "But first, I'm going with you to Asgard. Because from what Volstagg tells me, you guys do a hell of a job with celebrations."

"All right," Thor chuckled before looking up. "Heimdall, when you're ready."

The rainbow and grey energy that brought him there surged over the two, picking them up and bringing them up through the air. Vanitas whooped in excitement as they flew through the air. After a few seconds of this, the two landed in an observation tower, Vanitas still excited and full of adrenaline.

"We are _so_ doing that again before I go on my search!" Vanitas ordered Thor.

"We will see about that," a booming, regal voice announced near Vanitas.

Vanitas turned towards the voice and had to stop his skeleton from jumping out of his body. Possibly the most awesome guy he had ever seen was standing on a pedestal in the center of the room. He pulled a gigantic sword out of the pedestal in his hands. The tall, black man wore sweet looking armor that made Vanitas incredibly jealous. Between this guy, Thor's armor, and Loki's helmet that he remembered from New York, Vanitas wondered what kind of elaborate armors these Asgardians had. And even though the rage that happened when he first met Thor started to bubble up in Vanitas' stomach, he fought it down because he didn't think things would go well if he did exactly that same thing to this guy.

"Friend Vanitas," Thor told the visibly amazed Vanitas. "This is Heimdall, gatekeeper of the Nine Realms."

"V for short," the awestruck Vanitas held out a hand to the black man.

"Ah, the youngest Keyblade Master ever," Heimdall recounted. "This shall be interesting."

Heimdall turned away from Vanitas and looked towards the exit of the observatory. Vanitas followed his gaze and once again felt like his skeleton was about to jump out of his body in amazement. Asgard was possibly one of the most beautiful cities he had ever seen. A large, glassy-looking bridge with rainbow colors extended from the observatory and into the city. From the look of the city, Vanitas guessed that the entire city was made of gold.

"Holy shit!" Vanitas exclaimed. He chuckled. "Makes sense. The most amazing city I've ever seen, guarded by the most badass-looking motherfucker I've ever seen!"

"Thank you," Heimdall smiled at Vanitas.

"Come, Friend Vanitas," Thor told the ravenette. "My father will want to meet you."

"Odin, King of Asgard," Vanitas reaffirmed. "Yeah, all right. And I'll tell you about the crazy strong pricks we've faced since we left New York." He started following Thor, then pointed at him to help convey his excitement. "One of them was a gay guy!"

Thor chuckled as Vanitas went on while they walked down the Rainbow Bridge. No matter what happened, he was sure of one thing: whenever Vanitas Jordan showed up, things were bound to get interesting.


	2. A small respite turned into a new challenge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas and Thor have a small break on Asgard before learning a few things

"...and then Sora and Repliku switched out due to the cards while we took on the gay man!" Vanitas continued. "It was awesome!"

"Your stories make me want to visit your universe," Thor admitted.

"Your city makes me want to visit this universe more often," Vanitas commented, looking up at the tall, ornate ceiling above them.

They had walked through the city of the gods, Vanitas taking in all the sights it had to offer. He had to say, he was very impressed by how the city managed to look so regal and ancient, yet, at the same time, having a small bit of advanced technology. But he did have to admit, he was curious about what kind of TV they had here, if they had any at all. As long as they didn't have as bad as reality TV as they had on Earth, or any reality TV at all, he would be fine with it.

Vanitas followed Thor through parts of the city and the palace until they reached what looked like a training ground, where soldiers were fighting, no doubt preparing to join Asgard's army. He followed Thor onto a ledge where a white haired, one eyed man in intricate armor was watching over the progress with a raven on his right shoulder.

_Holy shit!_ Vanitas thought, amazed.

"Is Vanaheim secure?" Odin asked Thor as his son stood next to him.

"As are Nornheim and Ria," Thor told him. "Our work would have gone more quickly with you at the fore. We're lucky my friend here has now showed up to help."

"You must think I'm a piece of bread that needs to be buttered so heavily," Odin told him, making him smile slightly.

"That was not my intent," Thor admitted.

"Well, at least Sir Jordan showed up when he did," Odin admitted, smiling slightly at Vanitas.

"You know who I am?" Vanitas asked, amazed.

"After my son here met you as a part of the Avengers," Odin explained. "Heimdall informed us of everything he knew about you. You come from a different version of Earth, where other gods claimed to be of myth are around. Your father abandoned you before you were born, youngest Keyblade master in decades, lost all of your friends, home, and your memories, and searching for them as you help your new friends save people from darkness. We are incredibly sorry for the losses you've endured, and commend your determination to keep fighting to make things right."

"Whoa," Vanitas said, suddenly embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Well... uh, thanks..."

Odin sighed out in content and looked towards the training troops.

"For the first time since Bifrost was destroyed, the Nine Realms are at peace," he told Thor. "They're well reminded of our strength, and you have earned their respect, and my gratitude."

"Thank you," Thor said, looking down.

"Huh, getting praise from your dad," Vanitas commented. "Lucky you."

"Nothing our of order except your confused and distracted heart," Odin told Thor.

"Confused and distracted?" Vanitas asked, confused. Then he realized something. "Wait..."

"This isn't about Jane Foster, Father," Thor told Odin.

"Human lives are fleeting, nothing," Odin told him.

"Hey!" Vanitas snapped, raising his arms to the sides. "I'm right here!"

Odin ignored him and continued looking at Thor.

"You'd be better served by what lies in front of you," he told Thor.

Their discussion drew the attention of Sif, who was helping a soldier training. She looked up in intrigue, making Vanitas wonder if there was a little history between her and Thor.

"I'm telling you this, not as the Allfather, but as your father," Odin continued, walking behind Thor. "You are ready. The time has come for you to take the throne. Embrace and celebrate what you've won."

Vanitas couldn't help but watch as Thor's expression never changed from bland from his face.

"Join your warriors," Odin continued as he stood next to Vanitas, placing him between the two Asgardians. "Eat and drink, revel in their celebration. At least pretend to enjoy yourself."

"Can't deny that," Vanitas commented, looking at Thor.

He looked towards Odin.

"Hey, how do you guys feel about the Greek and Roman gods?" Vanitas asked. "Are they still around, like you guys?"

"Maybe in some other universe," Odin told him. "But we haven't been in conflict with them in forever. They are a little unorthodox, but we just stay away from each other."

"Right," Vanitas said in thought.

For some reason, he couldn't help but feel like he had some sort of connection with Greeks. He shook his head, ignoring it. Even if the gods were around nowadays, what kind of connection could he have to them? Vanitas forgot all about it as he followed Thor.

While Thor went to his chambers to wash up, Vanitas went into town where he found Volstagg and his other friends. And Vanitas did not hesitate to start drinking. Even if he couldn't taste it, or get drunk by it, that didn't mean Vanitas couldn't have fun with it. They partied well into the night, around the part where snow(?) started to fall. Thor eventually joined in and joined in laughing and cheering when Volstagg threw aside a mug, yelling "Another!"

"Aw, man, this is awesome!" Vanitas exclaimed as he tossed aside a mug.

"This is why you should come to Asgard more often!" Volstagg exclaimed, smiling at the ravenette.

"I agree," Vanitas told the crowd, raising his hands in thought. "Which is why I have an idea. I've seen this in literally every college movie I've seen, and I really want to try it."

The crowd was a little confused until he explained. They were then bought into the idea and grabbed a few barrels and clear pipes.

"How have we never done this before?" Volstagg asked Thor and Fandral, just as excited as Vanitas.

"'Cause I'm a hundred percent sure one of you will puke up your throats," Fandral told them, laughing.

"Jokes on you, I can't throw up!" Vanitas exclaimed, forgetting what happened to him back in Castle Oblivion.

He then climbed onto the table and stood on his hands, Volstagg doing the same across from him on the table.

"You ready for this, buddy?" Vanitas asked, excited.

"Hell, yes," Volstagg told him. He looked up at the people holding the barrels. "Go slowly, try not to choke us."

Thor couldn't help but laugh as the others poured the alcohol from the barrels through the tubes and into his two friends' mouths. The liquid flowed at a quick enough pace for the two, which they swallowed down at a nice rate, doing their best to make sure they didn't spill anything. After about a few minutes, the barrels were empty, so they removed the tubes. Volstagg proceeded to pass out and fall onto the floor with a loud 'THUD!' Vanitas, instead, climbed down from the table and raised his arms in victory.

"Boo-ya!" He yelled out, causing many cheers and laughs.

Volstagg climbed up onto his feet and regarded Vanitas, clearly drunk out of his mind.

"Amazing!" he slurred out. "Not many people can out-drink me!"

"Yeah, well," Vanitas said, modestly. "That's the thing about not having a life force. You kind of can't..."

He stopped and placed his left hand on his gurgling stomach.

"Oh, boy," Vanitas exclaimed, worrying a few people. "I think I just forgot something..."

He placed his hand over his mouth and ran through a nearby door. The sound of him throwing up caused the crowd to wince.

"When the hell did I eat egg salad?" they heard Vanitas exclaim.

"Well, I guess he isn't as dead as he claimed," Thor commented.

"Nope," Fandral agreed.

"Hey, at least he's fun!" Volstagg exclaimed before he fell onto the table, very drunk.

Thor then made to walk out of the pub, Fandral patting him on the shoulder as he walked outside. Vanitas walked out of the closet like space and wiped his mouth. Curious, he followed Thor outside.

"There was a time when you would celebrate for weeks," Sif told Thor as he walked near her.

Thor smiled at her.

"I remember you celebrated the Battle of Harokin so much that you nearly started the second," Thor commented, leaning down against the ledge.

"Man, you guys don't hesitate celebrations," Vanitas commented.

"Well, the first was so much fun," Sif told Thor, smiling.

Thor smiled and just looked down.

"Take a drink with me," Sif suggested to the blonde. "Surely the Allfather could have no further task for you tonight."

"You'd be surprised," Vanitas commented, realizing his vision was starting to go a little blurry.

"No, this is one I set myself," Thor told her.

"It does not go unnoticed that you disappear each night," Sif told him. "There are nine realms. The king os Asgard must focus on more than one."

"I thank you for your sword, and for your council, good Lady Sif," Thor told her.

_Did you two go out at one point_ _?_ Vanitas thought.

Instead of answering, Thor just turned and walked down the road and up the stairs.

"Oh, great," Vanitas slurred out. "Now I've gotta traverse this huge ass town while drunk. And I didn't even know I could _get_ drunk."

He took one step forwards, then stumbled to the ground. He raised his head up.

"I know what to do," Vanitas announced.

He reached into his sling and pulled out the bag, then the cooler cooler. With his vision getting blurrier by the second, he reached into his cooler and pulled out a bottle of ice cold water. He opened the bottle and poured it onto his face, gasping as the water hit him.

"Huh," Vanitas commented. "I didn't think that would work."

He put the bottle back in the cooler, the cooler back into the bag, then the bag back into the sling. He stood up straight and followed Thor.

Vanitas winced as he had a slight vision. The woman he remembered from pictures as Jane Foster was in London... on a date?

_I thought she and Thor were_ together, Vanitas thought.

Her assistant, Darcy, then interrupted it, taking her away due to their friend, Erik Selvig, that Vanitas from New York, going a little crazy. Like, streaking and carrying equipment around Stonehenge crazy.

"And that is not an image I needed to see," Vanitas commented as he bumped into people, following Thor.

Jane then ended up in a warehouse district, where many things apparently were disappearing. She, herself, was then transported somewhere that looked kind of like it belonged in Asgard. She looked between two large bits of stone, curiously. Red and black energy then shot out and into her arm, causing the two stones to fall onto each other. She winced as she looked at her hand, shaking a bit before she collapsed onto the ground.

As Vanitas followed Thor onto the rainbow bridge, the vision shifted again. Somewhere in the deepest regions of space, a ship activated and turned on. In what Vanitas guessed was the console room, black bits of metal retracted, revealing a very pale man with pointed ears, white hair, and piercing eyes. He looked over a ledge as many pods opened, revealing many more of people like him. He spoke in an elven language that Vanitas couldn't understand, but Vanitas could tell by the way this man presented himself, he wasn't a pleasant person.

The vision ended as Vanitas caught up with Thor. They walked into the observatory to see Heimdall still standing there, observing the space through where they had appeared.

"You're late," Heimdall told them.

"Merriment can sometimes be a heavier burden than battle," Thor informed him.

"Then you're doing one of them incorrectly," Heimdall commented.

"Do you ever leave this spot?" Vanitas asked as Thor chuckled.

"Sometimes," Heimdall told him.

"How fare the stars?" Thor asked as he and Vanitas walked around the central diaz.

"Still shining," Heimdall informed them. "From here, I can see nine realms and ten trillion souls."

"I can't tell if that's cool or creepy," Vanitas commented. "Maybe a little bit of both."

"Maybe," Heimdall admitted as he readjusted the sword in its mantle. He looked at Thor while the observatory rotated. "Do you recall what I taught you of the Convergence?"

"Yes," Thor told him. "The alignment of the worlds. It approaches, doesn't it?"

He and Vanitas walked down the remaining arc as Heimdall walked down the forwards steps.

"The universe hasn't seen this marvel since before my watch," Heimdall informed them.

"Well, now I'm glad to be here," Vanitas commented. "I get to witness this spectacular event."

"Lucky you," Heimdall told Vanitas before continuing. "Few can sense it. Even fewer can see it. But while it's affects can be dangerous, it is truly beautiful."

"I see nothing," Thor told him.

"Neither can I," Vanitas commented.

"Or, perhaps, that is not the beauty you seek," Heimdall told him.

Thor chuckled and looked up at the stars.

"How is she?" he asked Heimdall.

"She's quite clever, your mortal," Heimdall informed him.

"Huh," Vanitas smiled, looking up at Thor. "You chose right."

"She doesn't know it yet, but she studies the Convergence as well," Heimdall informed them. "Even..."

"What?" Thor asked.

"I can't see her," Heimdall explained.

Vanitas gasped as he grabbed his head in pain. Jane Foster was floating in red and black space, with similarly covered energy surrounding her.

"I think she might be in trouble," Vanitas informed Thor.

"I second that," Heimdall told the blonde.

"What?" Thor asked, worried. "Then let us go and help her."

"I guess I'll tag along," Vanitas told him. "Honestly, I'm more curious about what's going on right now."

"I'll take it," Thor told him, shedding his robe. He held out his hand, and Mjolnir flew into it. He then looked at Heimdall. "Heimdall, if you will..."

"Of course," the black man said, walking onto the diaz once again.

Heimdall adjusted the sword, and the grey and rainbow energy surrounded Thor and Vanitas. Vanitas whooped in joy as the Bifrost took them to Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas actually has a greater connection to the Greeks than he knows. We'll get there eventually


	3. Making New Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas officially meets Jane Foster and her assistant, Darcy. Then, once they get back to Asgard, things are figured out, about both Jane and Vanitas

In a warehouse in London, Jane Foster woke to see her vision slightly blurred. She slowly got up and ran out to see Darcy Lewis talking to nearby police officers. She and Darcy ran towards each other as thunder started to rumble not far away.

"Jane!" Darcy exclaimed as she ran towards her friend. "Where the hell were you?"

"Tell me you didn't call the police," Jane told her friend as they reached each other.

"What was I supposed to do?" Darcy asked.

"Not call the police," Jane pointed out as rain started pouring. They didn't notice it as the rain completely ignored the two of them.

"I was freaking out," Darcy defended herself.

"You call the cops, they call the Feds," Jane explained. "Next thing you know, we have SHIELD crawling all over 'Area 51-ing' the place."

"Jane," Darcy tried protesting.

"We had a stable gravitation anomaly," Jane continued, waving her arms to the side. "We had unimpeded access. Our only competition was ten years old!"

"Jane," Darcy told her. "You were gone for five hours."

"What?" Jane asked, confused.

Thunder rumbled again, causing the two women to finally notice that the rain wasn't affecting them.

"That's weird," Darcy commented, taking notice of the ring the rain was making around them, protecting them from getting wet.

Jane even held out her hand to test it out. Looking around, she noticed Thor holding Mjolnir in his right hand while standing nearby in a similar circle or dry land with a scarred faced, ravenette teenager wearing a blue jumpsuit with circles with the letter X on each soldier, and a sling across his back. She gasped in surprise and gave Darcy the piece of equipment she was holding to Darcy. She started walking towards Thor, causing the ring of dryness to follow her, leaving Darcy in the rain.

"Typical," Darcy commented as she grabbed her arms while rain fell onto her.

"Jane," Thor said as he walked towards her as she got close.

_I feel like I'm third_ _wheeling_ , Vanitas thought as he followed Thor, not wanting to get wet himself.

Jane came close to Thor and slapped him in the face.

"Didn't see that coming," Vanitas commented.

"Sorry," Jane told Thor. "I just needed to make sure you were real. It's been a very strange day."

"I am," Thor assured her. "Jane, wha-"

He was cut off when Jane slapped him with her opposite hand on the opposite side of his face.

"Drama..." Vanitas whispered to himself in a teen-girl like voice, intentionally joking around.

Both Jane and Thor heard and looked at him like he was an idiot.

"Too soon?" Vanitas asked.

Thor pushed him out of the ring of dryness, causing him to fall to the ground and get wet.

"Don't mind him," Thor told Jane.

"Dick!" Vanitas yelled as he stood up.

"Where were you?" Jane asked Thor, inquisitively and angry.

"Where were you?" Thor asked her. "Heimdall cannot see you."

"I was right here where you left me," Jane told him. "I was waiting, and then I was crying and then I went out looking for you. You said you were coming back."

"You didn't stop to say 'hi' to your girlfriend after New York?" Vanitas asked. "What the hell, man, even I did that!"

He punched Thor in his bicep and felt something happen in his glove. Curious, he slipped the glove off of his hand to observe it. What he saw was mangled, bruised, and kinda splintered with a couple of broken bones poking out of his palm.

"Oh, _shit_ ," Vanitas exclaimed, surprisingly nonchalant. "That doesn't look good."

Thor ignored Vanitas.

"I know," he told Jane. "I know, but the Bifrost was destroyed. The Nine Realms erupted into chaos. Wars were raging, marauders were pillaging. I had to put an end to the slaughter."

"As excuses go, it's not terrible," Jane admitted.

"Yeah, even I gotta give it two thumbs-up," Vanitas said, doing just that. But then the broken bones in his thumb popped, and he winced and held it in his hand. "Oh, maybe not."

"That does not look good," Jane commented, wincing at the sight. She looked back up at Thor. "But I saw you on TV. You were in New York with this guy!"

"Jane, I fought to protect you from the dangers of my world but I was wrong," Thor told her. "I was a fool." He placed his free hand on the side of her head in a protective manner. "But I believe that fate brought us together. Jane, I don't know where you were, or what happened, but I do know this..."

"What?" Jane asked.

"I know..." Thor told her.

"You do?" Jane asked.

"Do what?" Thor asked as their faces got closer to each other.

"What?" Jane asked.

"The fuck?" Vanitas whispered, confused.

The two leaned in closer and closer, but were interrupted by someone else arriving.

"Hey!" Darcy called out as she ran into the circle of dryness with her jacket protecting her. "Is this you?"

Thor looked up and made the rain stop.

"Well, that's one way to do it," Vanitas commented before downing a Potion like it was a shot.

He winced as his hand healed itself, the bones moving back into place and the wounds healing. Darcy and Jane just watched in shock and amazement.

"That was awesome!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Thanks," Vanitas winced one more time before closing his hand into a fist and slipping his glove back on.

Vanitas looked up at Darcy and his eyes widened at the woman wearing the beanie next to him.

"Huh," Vanitas said, raising a hand towards her. "Vanitas Jordan. My friends call me V. And may I just say, you are incredibly attractive."

"Well, thank you," Darcy chuckled as she shook Vanitas' hand. "Darcy Lewis. And besides the scar on your face, I gotta admit, you aren't half bad a looker, yourself."

Vanitas smiled at her compliment.

"But aren't you fifteen?" Darcy pointed out, pointing at him with a slight smile.

"Twenty-five!" Vanitas corrected her. He raised his hands and looked up at Thor. "Why does no one seem to grasp that part?"

Thor smiled at the smirk Darcy had on her face behind Vanitas' back, clarifying that she was joking.

"Uh, we're kind of in the middle of something here," Jane told Thor and Vanitas.

"Um, I'm pretty sure we are getting arrested," Darcy pointed out to Jane.

"Hold that thought," Jane told Thor as she turned and ran towards the police.

"Look at you, still all muscly and everything," Darcy smiled at Thor, poking him in the chest. "How's space?"

"Space is fine," Thor told her.

"My brunette counterpart and I helped save all the worlds from darkness," Vanitas said, trying to impress her. "It wasn't easy. We had to save each others' asses a lot."

She nodded at that, smiling slightly. But then their attentions were drawn to Jane and the police. An officer had grabbed her arm, and she expelled red and black energy, causing a massive shockwave. Thor placed an arm around Darcy to protect her before the energy dissipated.

"Holy fucking shit!" Vanitas slowly exclaimed not noticing most of his eyebrows had been singed off by the energy.

"Jane," Thor exclaimed, running towards her.

He repeated her name as he ran towards her and kneeled down to help her up. Vanitas slowly walked after his taller friend and stopped as he got close.

"Thor?" she asked as he helped her sit up.

"Are you all right?" Thor asked.

"What happened?" Jane asked, while a cop slowly and anxiously walked towards them with his arms raised in defense.

"Place your hands on your heads, step back," the British cop told them as he held a nightstick on his shoulder. Two cops nearby had pulled out guns and raised them.

"Oh..." Vanitas exclaimed, annoyed, as he snapped his fingers. Fire appeared on the mens' weapons, causing them to drop them in surprise. "This is official Avenger business, just move along."

"This woman is unwell," Thor informed them.

"She's dangerous," the cop corrected him.

"So are we," Thor informed the cop in a threatening voice.

"And I thought Sora was stupid," Vanitas muttered, annoyed that the man was threatening police.

"Requesting armed response officers to scene," the cop said into his shoulder mounted walkie-talkie.

"Hold on to me," Thor told Jane as he placed an arm around her back.

"What are you doing?" Jane asked, confused.

"Oh, boy..." Vanitas excitedly exclaimed as he and Thor looked up, ready.

The energy of the Bifrost appeared around them and carried them up, leaving the intricate pattern banned on the ground. Darcy stepped onto the imprint and looked up in amazement.

"Holy shit," she exclaimed, amazed.

Vanitas whooped in excitement as the Bifrost carried them back to Asgard. He laughed as he looked at Thor and Jane next to him as they flew along. Jane was just staring at the sights of the Bifrost, awestruck by it. Back in the observatory, Heimdall continued to use the sword in its place, and moved slightly to the side as a car bumper flew in through the gate. The energy then turned a bright blue, depositing a panting Thor, Jane, and Vanitas.

"We have to do that again," Jane announced with an amazed smile on her face.

"Welcome to the club, sister," Vanitas told her, smile on his own face. He raised an eyebrow in thought. "Couldn't we have brought Darcy? She seemed cool."

She smiled at him before looking up at Heimdall on the diaz, surprising her so much the smile wavered.

"Hi," Jane softly told him.

"Welcome to Asgard," Heimdall smiled at her.

"Seriously, could you not look more awesome?" Vanitas exclaimed, raising a hand in amazement.

As they moved to the palace, Vanitas grabbed his head as he had another vision. This time about a place that he somehow knew was called Svartalfheim. The white skinned beings he had seen earlier were there, gathered as their leader, that he knew was called Malekith, was speaking his even language to a pile of ashes in the ground. He couldn't understand much of their words, but somehow he knew Malekith at least said "The Asgardians will suffer as we have suffered." And he knew from personal experience that when someone said something like that, there was cause for worry.

The vision ended and Vanitas continued with Thor and Jane. They reached what Vanitas thought was an infirmary, where Jane laid down at a table. Physicists had orange energy appear from the four points in the bed, causing some readings that Jane and Vanitas couldn't understand.

"What's that?" Jane asked.

"Be still," the female physician told her.

The woman made an orange outline of Jane's body raise into the air, revealing red energy traversing throughout her body.

"This is not of Earth," Thor told one of the physicians. "What is it?"

"We do not know," the other female physician admitted. "But she will not survive the amount of energy surging within her."

"That's a quantum field generator, isn't it?" Jane asked.

"Big words," Vanitas commented. "And I have no fucking clue what any of them mean."

"It's a soul forge," the first physician corrected Jane as more orange energy representing... whatever appeared.

"Does a soul forge transfer molecular energy from one place to another?" Jane asked.

The physician looked at Jane surprised for a second before admitting, "Yes."

Jane looked at Thor and whispered, "Quantum field generator." Thor smiled at her.

Vanitas was very tempted to pull out a gun and blow off his ears to end the confusion.

"My words are mere noises to you that you ignore them completely?" Odin asked, drawing the attentions of half the room.

"She is ill," Thor insisted to his father.

"She is mortal," Odin pointed out.

"So am I, and you let me get drunk with some of your warriors," Vanitas pointed out.

"You have special powers, you are an exception," Odin said, waving an arm at the energy. The energy dissipated. "But she doesn't, and that means that illness is her defining trait."

"I brought her here because we can help her," Thor told Odin as his father walked past him.

"She does not belong here in Asgard any more than a goat belongs at a banquet table," Odin told him as he walked past the table.

"Hey, we had a Thanksgiving like that once back home!" Vanitas exclaimed, smile on his face. "Man, I miss my family."

The occupants of the room were a little surprised and confused, but brushed it off.

"Did he just...?" Jane asked as she sat up. She turned to see him walking away. "Who do you think you are?"

"I am Odin, King of Asgard," Odin told Jane. "Protector of the Nine Realms."

"Oh," Jane said, the fire fading from her eyes. "Well, I'm..."

"I know very well who you are, Jane Foster," Odin snapped at her.

He turned and walked away from her, and Jane looked at Thor, surprised.

"You told your dad about me?" she asked him.

"You really are just like a little schoolboy with a crush, huh?" Vanitas asked, wide smile on his face.

"Something is within her, Father," Thor told Odin, ignoring both the questions. "Something I have not seen before."

"Her world has its healers," Odin told him. "They are called 'doctors.' Let them deal with it."

"Hey, one-eye," Vanitas exclaimed. "Doctors on Earth aren't exactly equipped to deal with magical illnesses. Come on, man, there are easier ways to express that you dont approve of the girl your son's dating."

"Shut up," Odin snapped at Vanitas. "You are starting to annoy me."

"If I had a nickel for every time I heard that," Vanitas remarked.

"Guards, take her back to Midgard," Odin snapped at the nearby guards.

The guards walked towards to grab her.

"Bad idea!" Vanitas exclaimed at the same time Thor started to exclaim "No, I would not-"

Energy dispelled from Jane and knocked back the guards and Vanitas, who exclaimed as they hit the floor and a wall.

"-touch her," Thor finished. He leaned over Jane, who was laying back on the table. "Jane, are you all right?"

She whispered "Yeah" as she laid on the table. Vanitas and Odin came forwards, both of them surprised. Odin waved his hand over Jane's right arm, revealing red energy racing up her veins.

"It's impossible," Odin said.

Everybody watched in surprise at what was happening.

"The infection..." a brunette physician said. "It's defending her."

"No," Thor corrected the woman. "It's defending itself."

"Why the fuck is nothing ever so easy?" Vanitas complained.

"Come with me," Odin announced.

Thor, Jane, and Vanitas followed Odin through hallways and through an intricate door to see tall tree branches raised out of the floor. There were various designs in the branches, like galaxies, energy, and various colors of light. Women in robes were walking underneath them.

"There are relics that pre-date the universe itself," Odin explained as they walked through the doors. "What lies with her appears to be one of them. The Nine Realms are not eternal. They had a dawn as they will have a dusk." They reached the library and he opened a book that was to help explain the situation. "But before that dawn the dark forces, the Dark Elves, reigned absolute and unchallenged."

He turned a page to show them an image of the same people Vanitas saw in his visions.

"'Born of eternal night the Dark Elves come to steal away the light'," Thor read. "I know these stories. Mother told them to us as children."

The four gathered around the book to read better.

"Their leader Malekith made a weapon out of that darkness and it was called the Aether," Odin explained. "While the other relics often appear as stones, or in your case, Kingdom Hearts and the X-Blade..." He told Vanitas. "...the Aether is fluid and ever-changing. It changes matter into dark matter. It seeks out host bodies, drawing strength from their life-force. Malekith sought to use the Aether's power to return the universe to one of darkness. But, after eternities of bloodshed, my father, Bor, finally triumphed ushering in a peace that lasted thousands of years."

"What happened?" Jane asked.

"He killed them all," Odin said.

"No, he didn't," Vanitas corrected the man. "I saw them. In visions. They... I think they're awake. They woke up when the Aether passed to Jane. That... Malekith dude, claimed he was gonna make Asgard suffer."

"That's impossible," Odin told him. "The Dark Elves are dead."

"Does you book mention how to get this thing out of me?" Jane asked.

"No," Odin admitted. "It does not."

He turned and walked out of the room.

"Well, that's not good," Vanitas commented.

"Jordan!" Odin called out from the hallway. "If you desire, our physicians can look over you, see if we can find any way to fix your unique problem."

Vanitas raised his eyes and looked at the two, torn. On one hand, he wanted to help them through this crisis, but on the other hand...

"Go," Thor told him. "We'll figure this out. He only has people on his good side for a little while after they insult him, you have no idea when you'll get another chance like this."

"If they can really find a solution to your problem," Jane continued. "Then go get it."

Vanitas looked at the two and smiled.

"Thanks," he told them before he ran after Odin.

He lay down on the table that Jane did moments earlier and let the physicians activate it. Orange energy picked up, making an image of Vanitas, which they observed. They scanned the image, thoroughly.

"What's the verdict?" Vanitas asked.

"As you mentioned before, your life force is missing," the brunette woman explained. "It was caused by a massive surge of light and heart energy. Your Keyblade exploding."

Vanitas nodded his head in confirmation.

"As the Keyblade was connected to your heart, it shattered the connection between the two," the physician continued. "Your heart and light are still there, but they are inactive. They shut down, and thereby shut down your life force, and made your body stop working. But your body isn't entirely inactive, as various spells and potions work on you. And as you mentioned before, losing that light cut off your connection to your memories and control of your powers. The only way you can get it all back is to first get back your life force. Once you get that back, everything else will follow."

"Okay," Vanitas nodded his head. "So how do I do that?"

"From the looks of it," the woman said, examining the image of him once again. "Only a massive surge of light and energy could do it. Unfortunately, we don't have access to light magic. So, there is nothing that we can do at the moment. To get back your life force, it would require a large combined surge of energy equal to or greater than the one that took it all from you. Maybe another Keyblade, or multiple at once. But it has to be incredibly powerful."

"So Sora's Keyblade alone won't work," Vanitas summarized.

"No," the woman confirmed. "As your friend is still training to be a Master, he is nowhere near powerful enough to do it. You will need to find someone else far more powerful than him, or find another source of energy. Once you get back your life force, then you get back control of your powers. And with your telepathy, you should be able to get back your memories."

"All right," Vanitas nodded his head as the orange energy faded. He sat up and raised a hand. "Thank you. You've been a big help."

The woman shook his hand and nodded her head in affirmation. Vanitas stood up and sighed out at what this meant for him.

_Now on top of figuring out the truth about Roxas and the Nobodies_ AND _worrying about my friends getting back their memories, I've gotta try to find out how to find someone to help reverse this_ , Vanitas thought. _Why does my life have to be so complicated? Is this all_ just _because I was chosen by a giant Key?_

He suddenly saw a slight vision of Fandral and Volstagg appearing through the Bifrost, escorting prisoners to the cells. Vanitas suddenly sensed a familiar presence in those cells, and gasped in realization.

_He has to know_ , Vanitas thought. _I know the truth, and he has to know._

Vanitas once again thanked the physicians for their help, and exited the infirmary. He ran down the hallways, surprised by himself, yet determined to find someone who once tried to kill his friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would have gotten this up a lot sooner today, but my internet went down. But I am starting to like the dynamic I'm setting up between Vanitas and these characters. It's starting to get fun


	4. Vanitas and Loki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas finds an old enemy, and tried to make amends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With schools out for the primary elections today, I figured, why not?

Running through the hallways seemed like a good idea before Vanitas remembered he didn't know where to go. But he quickly found Fandral and Volstagg leading the prisoners, so he followed them. After going through weird hallways and down stairs, they walked through a big thing of doors to find what Vanitas guessed was the prison. The cells were set up with pillars with orangish energy between them. The rooms themselves were a very plain white, with all of them having unique designs for each cell.

"Odin continues to bring me new friends," the regal voice Vanitas was looking for announced as Vanitas hid behind a pillar. "How thoughtful."

"The books I sent, do they not interest you?" A female voice asked from the other side of the cell.

Somehow, Vanitas knew that the voice belonged to Loki and Thor's mother, Odin's wife, Frigga.

"Is that how I am to while away for eternity?" Loki asked. "Reading?"

"I've done everything in my power to make you comfortable, Loki," Frigga assured him.

"Have you?" he asked.

Vanitas peeked around the pillar to see Loki in his cell with Frigga. His cell was a bit more regal than the others with chairs, tables and a bed.

"Does Odin share your concern?" Loki asked his surrogate mother as he leaned onto a chair, surprising her a bit. "Does Thor? It must be so inconvenient, them asking after me day and night."

"You know full well it was your actions that brought you here," Frigga reminded him.

"My actions?" Loki asked before looking down. He started walking away from her. "I was merely giving truth to the lie that I had been fed my entire life... That I was born to be a king."

"A king?" Frigga asked, garnering his attention. "A true king admits his faults. What of the lives you took on Earth?"

"A mere handful compared to the number that Odin has taken himself," Loki remarked as he turned from her and walked towards another force field.

"Your father..." Frigga started to say.

"He's not my father!" Loki snapped at her, surprising Vanitas.

_This guy almost took over Earth?_ Vanitas thought. _Oh, am I glad we stopped him._

"Then am I not your mother?" Frigga asked him.

He sighed out a bit, just staring at her and her claim.

"You're not," Loki confirmed.

Frigga chuckled slightly at that. Which caused Vanitas to raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"You're always so perspective about everyone but yourself," Frigga remarked.

Loki just closed his eyes and looked down. He waved his hand through her offered hand, and the vision of her slowly faded. He watched with a sunken heart as the image faded, distraught on her face.

After waiting a few seconds, Vanitas popped out.

"Hey, Reindeer Games!" he announced. "How's prison treating you?"

Loki turned in confusion towards the sound. He raised his eyes at the sight of the ravenette he remembered from New York.

"How did you get here?" he asked, confused.

"Vortex Manipulator," Vanitas answered, raising his left arm to show the aforementioned device on his wrist. "Some mysterious dude gave it to me. It can transport you anywhere through the galaxy. Although, it's still experimental. I'm about ninety three percent the only reason he gave me this is because I'm technically already dead, so he wouldn't have any accidental deaths on his conscience."

"That sounds fair," Loki smirked. "Where's the kid?"

"Coma," Vanitas simply told him.

"Ah," Loki nodded his head. He looked at Vanitas with scorn. "Have you come to gloat?"

"Just the opposite," Vanitas told him. "I know you're innocent."

"No, I'm not," Loki shook his head. "You saw for yourself how many people I killed and tried to destroy New York."

"True," Vanitas admitted. "But I know someone forced you to do it."

Loki raised an eyebrow, curious.

"My life force being gone means I don't have connection to my powers," Vanitas informed him. "So they come back in random spurts. One of them was being able to have visions of whatever. I saw you... you were forced to do the attack on New York. By some..."

He placed his hand to his head to try to activate a vision on his own. He gritted his teeth and felt blood spill out of his nose as his head was in incredible pain. It didn't entirely work. But he was able to make out one image.

"Some..." Vanitas croaked out. "Big... purple dude with a chin that looks like a nut sack?"

Loki's eyes widened at Vanitas' words.

"Vulgar description," Loki remarked. "But accurate."

Vanitas wiped the blood from his face.

"He wanted the Tesseract," Vanitas assessed. "And he took advantage of your desire to prove to Odin that you can rule as well."

"Well, you're right about that," Loki said, turning away from Vanitas.

"That's why you attacked New York," Vanitas pointed out. "Nut Sack Chin made you do it."

Loki all but confirmed it with his body language, but still refused to face Vanitas.

"Why don't you tell Odin that?" Vanitas asked. "I think the fact that you were forced to do it will lesson the sentence a bit. Then we can gear up and go after Nut Sack Chin."

"If only if it were that easy," Loki remarked. "You really think Odin would believe it if I told him that?"

"Probably not," Vanitas admitted. "But I could back you up."

"Right," Loki sarcastically said. "As if he trusts you, too."

"Okay, that's fair," Vanitas admitted. "I did point out to him that the Dark Elves are still around, and he basically told me 'Fuck off'. Plus, he's still upset with Thor for ignoring him and bringing his girlfriend to Asgard, so I don't exactly think he's in a listening mood."

"Wait," Loki said. "Dark Elves? Thor's girlfriend? What in the world is going on out there?"

"Dude, I'm wondering that myself," Vanitas admitted.

He then looked at Loki in thought.

_Why do I suddenly want you and Darcy to meet?_ Vanitas thought. _That'd be one hell of a conversation._ He then thought of said conversation. _Oh, that's why,_ he thought with a smile on his face.

"Besides," Loki continued. "Even if you did go up against him, there's no guarantee you'd win. He has resources that exceed possibly even Asgard's army. You and your 'Avenger' friends wouldn't last five minutes."

"If you're sure," Vanitas muttered. "But just so you know, we have more than a few world-travelling allies. We could stand a chance, with just a little help from your brother and the Avengers."

"He's not my brother," Loki snapped at Vanitas.

"Not in blood," Vanitas remarked. "But that doesn't mean he cares for you any less. I saw the way he tried pleading with you in New York. Even after all this, he still sees you as a brother, as an equal, no matter what people tell him. Besides, I know for myself that family doesn't end with blood. And like it or not, him, Odin, and Frigga are all ya got, man. And even if they aren't really your family, they see you as exactly that."

"Maybe so," Loki admitted. "But that doesn't excuse Odin's mistakes."

"Dude, my dad abandoned me before I was born," Vanitas told him. "I know what it's like to have a piss-poor excuse for a father. And quite frankly, who would you rather want to call dad? The guy who left you for dead because you were small, or the guy who lied to you because he didn't want you to feel different?"

Loki took in Vanitas' words with a blank look on his face. He looked down and sighed out.

"You may have a point," Loki admitted. He looked up at Vanitas. "But that doesn't excuse Odin's actions."

"Of course it doesn't," Vanitas agreed. "He put 'Allfather' first and 'actual father' second. Plus, he could have told you about being a Frost Giant a lot sooner instead of teaching you to hate them, and _not_ play favorites with Thor."

"Exactly!" Loki exclaimed, raising an arm towards Vanitas. "Thank you!"

Loki sighed out and looked around a bit.

"But I am determined to make sure I don't spend the rest of my life in this cell," he told Vanitas.

"Can't you just teleport out or something?" Vanitas asked.

"The force fields numb my powers a bit," Loki explained. Keep me from doing exactly that. They at least let me keep up my illusions..."

An illusion of him then appeared from his chest and appeared next to him. Original and image looked each other in the eye.

"That way I don't get too bored talking to myself," both beings said.

"That's kind of cool," Vanitas said before the illusion faded.

"Well, thank you," Loki told him. He raised his eyebrow at the ravenette. "This pains me to say, but you weren't entirely unbearable."

"Thank you," Vanitas smiled at Loki.

"But you might want to get back to Thor and his escort before they get too bored of each other and start to question where you are," Loki told him. "I doubt you will remain friends if you are caught fraternizing with a prisoner."

"Dude, I've been in four prisons," Vanitas told him. "None of them as lavish as this. But you are right. I guess I'll talk to you later. Also, Jane isn't a prostitute. She doesn't pay Thor to have sex with him."

Loki raised an eyebrow at that.

"That's another term for 'escort' on Earth," Vanitas told him.

"I will never get used to the changes humankind have made to everything," Loki sighed out.

"You should hear the myth they tell about you and a horse," Vanitas remarked. He winced at the thought. "Might wanna clear that up once you get out."

Vanitas turned and started walking away from the cell.

"What myth do they tell about me and a horse?" Loki called after him.

Vanitas laughed and walked through the doors out of the jail. He put his hands in his pants pockets as he walked up the stairs, a little surprised by the contents since he didn't put his hands there for a while. While he was curious about how a pocket watch had gotten in there, he ignored it as he walked up the stairs, ready to find his friends. And hoping he would get a chance to third wheel again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also kind of like Loki/Darcy fanfiction, but as much as I would have liked to put something like that here, I couldn't think of a feasible way. Eh, I'll just keep doing what I'm used to


	5. Asgard Under Seige

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asgard is attacked, and Vanitas is caught up in the middle of it. During which, he meets Malekith, who he swears reminds him of a Doctor Who actor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The guy who plays Malekith actually played the Ninth Doctor on Doctor Who, the first one when the show was revived. So... yeah.

As Vanitas walked through the castle hallways trying to find his friends, he saw visions of exactly them near the water. Thor explained to Jane that she was somehow taken off of Earth, then how the Nine Realms travel Yggdrasil and orbit the Earth, similar to how the other planets in the solar system do it. He then explained how they align every few thousand years in the Convergence, causing points that make travel among them very easily. Vanitas didn't understand a single word of it, and felt like he was intruding on a personal moment between the two, what with how intimate they looked. Especially when they held hands and started kissing.

Vanitas' attention was drawn to the presence of familiar people, which made no sense to him. The presences were very familiar to those of Thor and Donald, which didn't make any sense. He just saw Thor in a completely different location, and Donald was still asleep. How did he sense those presences here? Before he could ponder that any further, the presences disappeared, and he was left confused.

But then he saw Thor and Jane again, and Frigga had caught them together. Thor introduced Jane, and it was just about as awkward as a boy's girlfriend meeting his parents usually is. It was very funny.

As he made his way through the halls once again, Vanitas grabbed his head in pain as a new, more sinister vision started. In the prison, one wicked looking warrior prisoner surged out power and broke through the gate, taking out soldiers. He opened up more cells and started a riot. He decided against releasing Loki, but Loki gave the warrior a suggestion on which stairs to take. 

"Dick," Vanitas muttered as he ran onto a rooftop.

He caught sight of Thor flying towards the palace with Mjolnir. Knowing he wouldn't get hurt no matter what, Vanitas leaped towards the flying god of Thunder. He reached out as hard as he could for his friend, and got close to grabbing hold...

But then the man flew past at bullet speed, and Vanitas ended up falling to the ground of the city. He crashed into the road, and ended up causing a crater in the ground where he landed.

"Ow," Vanitas said into the road, slightly muffled.

He saw a slight vision of Fandral and Volstagg in the prison fighting various soldiers, then Thor popped in and told them that they had his word to not attack if they returned to their cells. Then one punched him in his face, and Thor decided they didn't have his word. That made Vanitas chuckle a bit.

Vanitas stood up and put his arm back in its socket as he saw another vision. Odin and Frigga regarded each other, worried for each other, and Jane and Sif ended up eying each other, Sif with a little bit of obvious jealousy.

"Stop. Having. Visions!" Vanitas exclaimed, grabbing his head angrily, no doubt making people think he was crazy. "Why is this even important to see!?"

Vanitas then sensed more sinister presences enter the world, and he leaped up onto another building. With the little control he had of his powers, causing another nosebleed, he was able to track an invisible ship fly over the observatory. He reached into his sling and pulled out his big, heavy rocket launcher that needed two hands, and got it ready to fire.

But then Heimdall ran up one of the arches for the rainbow bridge and stabbed at the ship with two knives. The ship caught fire as it appeared, and started falling as it flew along. He slid down the length of the ship and threw a knife into a port. Fire spewed out of the port, and he exclaimed as he jumped off of the ship, while it exploded and landed on the Rainbow Bridge. He breathed in and out as he looked over the remains of the giant, smoldering ship.

"Damn, this guy's a badass," Vanitas muttered.

But then his eyes widened. Heimdall turned around and gasped slightly as a gigantic ship taller than the observatory appeared. It launched out dozens of smaller ships similar to the ones that Heimdall had just destroyed.

"Fuck," Vanitas exclaimed, with actual surprise for the first time in a while.

He pointed his launcher at where the ships were coming out of and shot the rocket. The large rocket hit the ship, which caused it to veer slightly to the left, but it remained in the air.

"Fuck!" Vanitas exclaimed, more furiously.

He slid his launcher into his sling and put it back on his back. Vanitas then got ready as the ships flew into the city. He counted down from three in his head in preparation, convincing himself he could go through with this, and leaped up as high as he could. He caught onto the red part, which let him see the inside, the cockpit.

"I don't think so, motherfucker!" Vanitas exclaimed.

He then exclaimed as the ship turned clockwise, 25%, four times, spinning around.

"I'm gonna throw up!" Vanitas exclaimed as he rode on the ship over the city.

The many ships rotated sideways, causing them to dodge the blasts of the many Asgardian turret guns. Vanitas exclaimed as the ship he was on turned sideways and used the long part it had to take out a large pillar with a turret on it, spraying bricks all over the place. Vanitas pulled out an uzi and tried firing it into the red lights. Unfortunately, the shaking around left him firing the gun rapidly all over the place. He eventually lost his grip on the gun and it fell into the city.

An air skiff then flew through the air and aimed its guns to shoot at the enemy ships. Vanitas exclaimed as the gunfire missed him, and clutched the ship harder as one of the ships crashed into the skiff. He was able to see another skiff appear behind the one he was riding on. And when he saw the skiff firing out missiles targeted at the ship he was on, he decided it was time to give up.

"Mama!" Vanitas screamed as he let go of the ship and fell towards the ground again.

The ship blew up above him, causing fire to cover his back. It was at that moment that Vanitas' rocket sneakers finally turned on again, causing him to start flying to the palace.

"How did I forget about these?" Vanitas muttered to himself as he flew past a force field that was starting to appear around the palace.

A slight vision showed Vanitas that the wicked looking warrior from earlier smashed his fists into some orb of similar energy, causing the force field to lower.

"That can't be good!" Vanitas exclaimed as he landed in a palace window.

He noticed that he had landed in the gigantic throne room. There were dozens of rows of columns between the actual entrance of the room and the throne, and Vanitas could only watch as one of the ships turned parallel to the ground and crashed through all of them. Debris flew all over the place as the shattered columns landed on the ground. Vanitas pulled his machete out of its sheath and ran towards the soldiers who had also pulled out their weapons.

"Stand your ground, men," a soldier yelled at the other soldiers. "Stand!"

"Stand at the ready!" Vanitas added as he leaped over a broken column, landing near the soldiers. "Don't waver, and keep ready for anything."

He pulled out his sledgehammer with his other hand and stood ready with the soldiers. Vanitas then sensed that Thor, Fandral, Volstagg, and even Loki could tell something was going on, while the soldiers slowly inched towards the fallen ship.

"Soldiers," Vanitas announced. "On Migdard, in every horror movie ever made, whenever you get towards the mysterious object is when you get killed. I don't think..."

"Sorry, Jordan!" one soldier exclaimed. "This is how the warriors of Asgard face danger. And you're no warrior."

The same anger from the first time he ever faced Thor originated in Vanitas' stomach once again. He had to stop himself from raising his machete in anger as the soldiers continued inching towards the ship. A port on the bottom of the ship opened up slowly, and red lasers shot out of other parts of the ship, knocking down soldiers. Beings that Vanitas could tell were dark elves walked out of the port of the ship and fired shots at the Asgardian warriors. He decided against saying "I told you so," because he felt that those wouldn't be good last words for the soldiers to hear.

One dark elf shot at Vanitas, and ended up surprised that the blast barely even fazed the ravenette. Vanitas smirked knowingly at the elf, and ran at it. He sliced off the elf's head, and smacked another one with his hammer. But then another dark elf threw an orb in the middle of many soldiers, which caused an implosion, sucking up multiple soldiers, killing them.

"Jesus!" Vanitas exclaimed at the sight.

Another elf shot a blast at Vanitas' back, which he shrugged off. He turned towards the elves as they kept blasting the soldiers. He kicked one in the chest, knocking it to the ground. He hit another in the chest, before stabbing it in the head with his machete.

Unfortunately, Vanitas was the only one who was holding up a defense against the elves. As he fought them off, the others kept blasting at soldiers, and throwing more implosion grenades. Even with magic swords and shields, the Asgardian warriors could only do so much.

Vanitas threw a different elf into a nearby column, and his attention was drawn to the ship's port. The dark elf from his visions that he knew as Malekith walked out, looking like a full tilt badass to Vanitas. Malekith regarded Vanitas, and Vanitas did vise versa.

" _Vanitas Jordan_ ," Malekith said in Elvish. " _How I've longed to get the chance to meet and defeat you._ "

" _Can't say the same,_ " Vanitas responded, also in Elvish. " _How do you know me_?"

" _We made sure to check files of the latest events to the Nine Realms after we awoke,_ " Malekith explained. " _You were of great interest to us. The youngest Keyblade Master in centuries. The last time someone became a Master as young as you was in the days of the Master of Masters. Even I am impressed._ "

" _Sorry to be the one to break it to you,_ " Vantas said. " _But my Keyblade was destroyed. Not exactly sure I still qualify as 'Master,' but that doesn't mean I won't be able to kick your ass just as easily._ "

It was then that Vanitas realized something.

" _Wait a second,_ " he said, raising his left hand so it was just below his mouth. " _Where the hell did I learn how to speak Elvish?"_

Vanitas looked at Malekith as he asked that. Then he tilted his head to the side in thought.

"And why do you look like the Ninth Doctor?" he asked in English.

"I don't know what that means," Malekith admitted, also in English. "But I hope you can still hold up in a fight."

"Oh, count on it, Eccleston," Vanitas remarked.

He and Malekith walked towards each other. Vanitas decided to start it out by raising his machete in an attack. He swung it at the Dark Elf, who dodged it pretty easily. Not wanting to be deterred, Vanitas swiped his machete at the enemy multiple times, and the older man dodged all of them easily. He then grabbed Vanitas by his machete hand and pulled in his wrist, making the ravenette lean forwards and get close to the white haired man. Malekith kneed Vanitas in the stomach, then elbowed him in the back. He then grabbed Vanitas by the shoulders and twirled around as he threw Vanitas into a nearby column.

"Ow!" Vanitas exclaimed as he stood up.

Malekith then walked past him, grabbing an imploding grenade from one of his soldiers. He threw the grenade at the throne, causing it to implode on itself.

"Hey!" Vanitas exclaimed. "I was gonna take a selfie on that thing!"

Vanitas charged at Malekith again, this time using his sledgehammer with the opposite hand. Malekith caught the sledgehammer, and twirled it around to hit Vanitas in the stomach with it. He then tossed the sledgehammer to the side and grabbed Vanitas by the shoulder. He lifted Vanitas up with one hand as he kept walking down a hallway. Vanitas tried slashing at Malekith with his machete, but the Dark Elf caught it and threw that to the side pretty easily.

"You are much more pathetic without a Keyblade, Master Jordan," he told Vanitas.

"Fuck you, you fucking prick!" Vanitas exclaimed.

He pointed his hand at Malekith's chest, but the elf moved it to the side as fire shot out. Vanitas struggled against the grip of the dark elf as he carried Vanitas through the hallways. Vanitas tried kicking Malekith in the stomach, but it had little effect. They eventually reached a large set of double doors that Malekith threw Vanitas at, opening them.

Vanitas grunted as he rolled down a set of steps and stopped in front of a table. On the opposite side of the table, Jane and Frigga stood ready, Frigga holding a sword backhanded in her left hand, reminding Vanitas of an old friend. He managed to stand up as Malekith walked down the steps.

"Bring it on, motherfucker," Vanitas exclaimed, raising his fists for a fight.

He jabbed at the dark elf with his left hand, hitting him, but not doing any visible damage. Vanitas followed it up with a cross punch with his left hand before jabbing twice with his right hand. Malekith managed to block most of these with his forearms. Vanitas uppercutted Malekith with his right hand, doing his best to make his super strength surge. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

Malekith recuperated easily from the uppercut. Vanitas kicked at the elf with his right hand, which Malekith caught. He held Vanitas' foot with both hands, then picked him up and twirled him in the air. Vanitas landed on the ground face first. He got up onto his knees and made a move to punch at Malekith with his left hand. Malekith caught his hand and twisted it, splintering the bone out of his arm. Vanitas exclaimed in pain before the elf grabbed him by his shoulders and threw him into a pillar next to the queen and Jane.

"Stand down, creature," Frigga told Malekith with strong authority in her voice as she walked along the table. "And you may still survive this."

"I have survived worse, woman," Malekith told her as he also walked around the table, towards her.

"Who are you?" Frigga asked.

"I am Malekith," the elf answered as he and the Queen got close enough to face each other. "And I would have what is mine."

"Not if we can stop you, motherfucker," Vanitas remarked on the ground next to the two.

Malekith just kicked him in the face, causing a couple of pops and a crack to originate from his nose. Vanitas grabbed his nose, feeling the broken bones and blood seeping out. He fell onto his right side on the ground as he tried to mend the bones with his free hand.

Malekith then looked towards Jane, and Frigga got the message after looking at the woman herself. Jane started running along the table, and Frigga slashed at Malekith with her sword to stop him from following her. Malekith pulled out his own sword, but Frigga knocked it to the side with hers and slashed him across the chest with her sword. He tried punching her, but she slashed at him twice with her sword, both of them missing as he stepped back to dodge. Malekith ducked as she slashed at his head, then exclaimed as she smacked him in the face with her free hand.

 _No wonder they call her 'Queen',_ Vanitas thought.

Jane and Vanitas could only watch (with as much as Vanitas could see, that is) with amazement as the queen backed Malekith into a pillar and held her sword to his neck. But then the wicked looking soldier from Vanitas' earlier visions popped seemingly out of nowhere and grabbed the sword out of her hand with his left hand. He held her up by her neck in the air with his free hand, and Malekith started walking towards Jane. Vanitas moved to grab one of his legs with his good hand, but the elf kicked him in the chest, knocking him back as he continued walking towards Jane.

"You have taken something, child," Malekith told her as she backed up to a pole. "Give it back."

He stood in front of her in front of the pole and reached to grab Jane. But then Malekith's hand went through her shoulder, and green light flared around her, revealing Jane to be an illusion. Malekith turned towards the queen, not looking happy.

"Witch!" he bellowed at a smirking Frigga.

He started walking towards Frigga and the soldier holding her up.

"Where is the Aether?" Malekith asked the queen as the soldier held her in a headlock.

"I'll never tell you," Frigga told Malekith, defiantly.

"I believe you," Malekith told her.

The soldier then stabbed Frigga's sword into her side, and Vanitas gasped as she started to go limp. He pulled out a Colt handgun as the soldier dropped Frigga to the ground.

"No!" Thor's voice bellowed from Vanitas' right.

Malekith turned towards the voice just as Thor shot lightning at him, burning the right side of his face as it knocked him to the ground. The wicked looking soldier carried Malekith to the balcony as Thor rushed in. Vanitas shot his handgun and Thor threw Mjolnir at the two as they crashed through the railing and off of the balcony. Vanitas struggled to follow Thor to the balcony as they watched a ship no doubt carrying the two flew back to the command ship.

Thor screamed as he threw his hammer at the ship while Vanitas shot his handgun until it went empty. Unfortunately, both ships went invisible before the hammer could hit them. Distraught, Vanitas and Thor turned back into the room to see an equally distraught Odin walk in. Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand as the Odin sadly walked towards his wife's limp body. Jane walked out from behind a column and expressed her sadness as Odin cradled Frigga's body.

"Friend V," Thor turned towards Vanitas desperately. "There must be something you can do. You, Sir Sora and Mage Donald have healed greater wounds than this."

"With Cure magic," Vanitas admitted. "I don't have access to magic without my Keyblade. All I have are Potions, and even those have limits. I'm sorry... but there's nothing I can do."

And the look of sadness on his friend's face made Vanitas wish more than anything that he had back his Keyblade, or Sora or Donald were there, specifically to help ease the man's sadness, and reverse his loss.

And it was then that Vanitas felt the first emotion in his chest in about ten years. As if whatever was keeping his life force away from him picked up on his desire to use what he lost to help his friend and granted him the power of one feeling. And that feeling was one that felt right for the situation...

Sadness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since Vanitas is still kind of a telepath, I decided to add a little easter egg to Endgame. Also, just like everything else, Vanitas being able to speak Elvish will be explained eventually.


	6. Prison Break

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After mourning Frigga, Thor and Vanitas take drastic measures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This home isolation isn't as glamorous as I was hoping. I don't really have as much time to update as I'd prefer due to my teachers granting so much work online. Besides that, I hope you guys are alright

Vanitas made sure to gather his fallen weapons and then heal his injuries with Potions before joining in on the service. He stood with Thor and watched sadly in awe as Frigga was placed on a barge with the sword she wielded, flowers around her. Asgardians held glowing orbs and watched in respectful sadness as the boat carrying her body floated down the river. Thor and Vanitas, along with Jane and their friends of Asgard, watched as Odin watched his wife's body floated away on the water into the large lake.

A soldier nearby ignited the point of an arrow and pointed it in the air. The soldier shot out the arrow, setting flame to her barge. Not long afterwards, they set out barges for the other soldiers of Asgard that had died, with many more flaming arrows hitting the barges and the water slowly. Vanitas placed his hand sympathetically on Thor's much taller shoulder as they watched Frigga's barge lead the other ones off of the edge of the world.

Odin tapped his staff to the ground, and white lights flew out of Frigga's barge, signifying her spirit flying away. Vanitas could see Heimdall at the observatory looking up in respect before looking down in sadness. The many Asgardians raised their hands, and the glowing orbs flew into the sky, all around the city in respect.

Vanitas had a slight vision of Loki in his cell, reading a book before a soldier informed him of Frigga's passing. Loki nodded his head and let the soldier walk away. As soon as the man was out of his sight, he stood up in the center of the cell and clenched his fists. No doubt magic had passed through, as the furniture was knocked all across the room.

The vision shifted to Erik Selvig explaining the problem of the Convergence and the Alignment, using shoes and pencils, and that he had gravimetric spikes that could help make it leave Earth alone. He asked if there were any questions, to when it was revealed that he was in an old folk's home explaining all of this to a crowd of people, with only two or three listening.

"Yeah," an older man with glasses that Vanitas swore he had seen before said. "Can I have my shoe back?"

 _Was that Stan Lee?_ Vanitas thought as the vision shifted to Malekith and the Dark Elves again. The tough looking soldier that killed Frigga that Vanitas sensed was named Kurse informed Malekith he needed rest for the big, upcoming conflict.

The visions ended as Vanitas reached the destroyed throne with Odin, Fandral, Volstagg, and some other soldiers. A holographic representation of the palace floated in front of them.

"We are still unable to restore the palace shields," Fandral informed. "Our artillery cannot detect them. Even Heimdall cannot see them. And with Vanitas having no control of his powers, he's about as useful as a common soldier in detecting them."

"For once, I'm not offended by a comment like that," Vanitas said, surprised at himself. "Some day."

After pausing for a second in thought, Fandral admitted, "My king, we are all but defenseless."

Vanitas thought about that for a second with his arms crossed. He was taken out of his thoughts when Thor walked towards the gathered group.

"She's your prisoner now?" he asked his father.

Vanitas sensed that Jane was taken out of the chamber she was in by the god, Tyr, and some other soldiers, no doubt under Odin's orders. He sighed out in annoyance.

"Come on, Ode," Vanitas told the King of Asgard. "There are easier ways to express that you don't approve of your son's girlfriend."

This caused the soldiers there to chuckle a bit, while Odin sighed out in silent anger.

"You are _really_ starting to annoy me," he told Vanitas.

"I get that a lot," Vanitas remarked, knowing smile on his face.

"Leave us," Odin informed the soldiers.

Each of the soldiers bowed in respect and walked away, the holographic version of the city turning off along the way. Fandral and Volstagg nodded to Thor on their way out, who nodded back in thanks. After standing there for a second, Vanitas realized that Odin was staring at him expectantly.

"Oh, I'm not going anywhere," Vanitas remarked as he pulled out a box of cookie dough bites he pulled out of seemingly nowhere. He spoke the next word through bites of the candy, "Continue."

Odin sighed in annoyance and walked down the steps towards Thor.

"I do not wish to fight with you," he informed his son.

"Nor I with you," Thor remarked as Odin walked past him. "But I intend to pursue Malekith. Vanitas has offered his help, he and I can take him down together."

Vanitas nodded his head in affirmation before stuffing some more cookie dough bites in his mouth.

"We possess the Aether," Odin pointed out, not facing them. "Malekith will come to us."

"Yes, and he will destroy us," Thor pointed out.

"You overestimate the power of these creatures," Odin remarked.

"Oh, so you missed the part where they tore apart the city with very little difficulty?" Vanitas asked, walking after the two. "If we stay and wait for them, then they'll just kill even more people next time."

"Exactly," Thor agreed with Vanitas. "And what I value is our people's lives. We'll take Jane to the Dark World, and draw the enemy away from Asgard. When Malekith pulls the Aether from Jane, it will be exposed and vulnerable. And we will destroy it and him."

"I've got just enough dynamite to do it," Vanitas remarked, pulling out a red stick with a fuse. "I think."

Odin turned towards the two and tapped his staff onto the ground.

"If you fail, you risk this weapon falling into the hands of our enemies," Odin remarked.

"The risk is far greater if we do nothing," Thor pointed out. "His ship could be over our heads right now, we would never even know it."

"If and when he comes," Odin remarked. "His men will fall on 10,000 Asgardian blades."

"Wait, so you missed the part where they used laser blasters and implosion grenades?" Vanitas asked, eyebrow raised. "They one-shotted each soldier with one blast. The only reason I'm still here is because I'm a zombie. And I don't think your soldiers have that same level of durability. I highly doubt they'll be able to take out as many dark elves as Thor and I could."

"He's right," Thor agreed. "How many more of our men shall fall on their swords?"

"As many as are needed!" Odin yelled. 

"Ah!" the king eventually sighed out, looking down. After a few seconds, he looked to the right of Thor. "We will fight!" He paused. "To the last Asgardian breath. The last drop of Asgardian blood."

"Then how are you different from Malekith?" Thor calmly asked.

Odin chuckled darkly at his words.

"The difference, my son, is that I will win," he remarked.

The king turned and walked away.

"He's not thinking straight," Vanitas informed his friend. "The anger and grief over the lost of his wife is clouding his judgement."

"Yeah, I kind of figured that out," Thor admitted as he looked up in thought.

They went to a pub and waited for a little while with metal mugs of their own and an extra one on the table as they waited. Vanitas had a slight vision of Darcy back on Earth discovering what was going on with Erik, but it faded quickly. The two looked up to see Heimdall pulling up a chair to the table they sat at.

"You were not at Odin's war council," Thor reminded the seer.

"The Bifrost is closed by your father's orders," Heimdall explained as he took off his helmet and placed it on the table. "No one is to come or to go."

Thor and Vanitas nodded their heads.

"So it's kind of like we're all grounded," Vanitas remarked.

"Odd interpretation, but accurate," Heimdall admitted as he sat at the table. "We face an enemy that is invisible to even me. What use is a guardian such as that?"

"You'd be surprised," Vanitas remarked.

"Malekith will return, you know this," Thor pointed out. He looked to the side before looking at Heimdall again. "We need your help."

"I cannot overrule my king's wishes," Heimdall admitted. "Not even for you."

"Didn't you do it before with Loki?" Vanitas asked, remembering the story Thor and the Warriors Three told him.

Thor waved him off and turned towards Heimdall, gesturing with his arms as he talked.

"I'm not asking you to," he informed the man. "The realms need their Allfather strong and unchallenged whether he is or not. But he is blinded, Heimdall... by hatred and grief."

"As are we all," Heimdall remarked.

"Vanitas and I see clearly enough," Thor told him.

"The risks are too great," Heimdall pointed out.

"Everything we do from here on is a risk," Thor pointed out. "There is no other way."

"And isn't that the thing with risk?" Vanitas asked. "The greater the risk, the bigger the payoff. And we've got a plan. Right?"

Vanitas looked at Thor expectantly.

"That we do," Thor agreed, looking from Vanitas to Heimdall.

Heimdall looked down in thought, then back up at Thor.

"What do you require of me?" Heimdall asked.

The two of them filled him in and gathered Sif, Fandral, and Volstagg in secret.

"What we're about to ask of you is is treason of the highest order," Thor explained. "Success will bring us exile and failure should mean our death."

"And if you are exiled, then I know a king who might need soldiers of your guys' calibre," Vanitas offered.

The mental image of these three running around Disney Town and Castle made him chuckle a bit.

"Malekith knew the Aether was here," Thor explained. "He can sense its power. If we do nothing, he will come for it again but this time, lay waste to all of Asgard."

"And we don't even need to show you the numbers to express how bad that would be," Vanitas admitted.

"We must move Jane off-world," Thor continued.

"The Bifrost has been shut down and the Tesseract locked away in the vault," Sif pointed out.

"I've got this," Vanitas suggested, showing off the vortex manipulator.

"How far does it travel?" Thor asked.

"I don't know," Vanitas admitted.

"Does it carry more than one at a time?" Fandral asked.

"I don't know," Vanitas admitted.

"Is it safe at transporting, for lack of a better word, living beings?" Volstagg asked.

Vanitas paused as he realized the full scale of what they were asking.

"I don't know," Vanitas admitted, looking at the device.

"We'll save that as a Plan B," Thor told him.

"There are other paths off Asgard," Heimdall pointed out. "Ways known only to a few."

"One, actually," Thor pointed out.

Practically everybody was upset by the realization of Thor's words.

"No," Volstagg simply said.

"Yes," Vanitas remarked. "It's either this, or who knows what with the Vortex Manipulator."

Thor and Vanitas made their way to the prison, and walked over to Loki's cell, where the place looked rather nice. Loki stood looking as regal as ever, with his hands behind his back as he walked towards the force field separating them from him.

"Thor," Loki said with an eager smile on his face. "After all this time and now you come to visit me."

They stopped in front of the force field as he leaned forwards to face them.

"Why?" Loki asked. Silence passed for a second. "Have you come to gloat? To mock?"

"Loki, enough," Thor insisted. "No more illusions."

"You're not fooling anybody, dude," Vanitas remarked.

Loki's eyes widened at their words before he closed them in shame. Green light flared over him and the tidy furniture to reveal what the inside of the cell really looked like. Loki leaned against one wall looking disheveled, dirty, and in pain. The furniture was crashed on the side. Some of it was broken. Paper was on the floor, along with an open cup that scattered fruit along the floor. Vanitas couldn't tell if the red liquid on the bottom of Loki's bare foot was blood from a wound, or something from the fruit, but decided not to focus on that for too long.

"Now you see me, brother," Loki admitted.

The two walked around the cell so they were on Loki's right side.

"Did she suffer?" Loki asked.

"I don't think so," Vanitas admitted for his benefit.

"Unfortunately, we did not come here to share our grief," Thor told Loki, rubbing his left wrist. He looked towards the other cells, then back at Loki. "Instead, we offer you the chance of a far richer sacrament."

Loki tilted his head towards Thor and remarked, "Go on."

"I know you seek vengeance as much as I do," Thor informed him. "You help us escape Asgard, and we will grant it to you. Vengeance. And afterward, this cell."

Loki looked from Thor, then around his cell. After a second of thought, he chuckled.

"You must be truly desperate to come to me for help," he remarked. Thor turned from him and walked to the side a few feet to the nearest pillar. "What makes either of you think you can trust me?"

"I've been through enough to know everyone needs a second chance," Vanitas admitted. He looked down, regarding himself as he finished, "Even if they don't deserve it."

"As for me, I don't," Thor admitted, looking towards Loki. "Mother did."

Loki just stared at them.

"But you should know that when we fought each other in the past," Thor told him. "I did so with a glimmer of hope that my brother was still in there somewhere."

'Like I told you,' Vanitas thought, hoping Loki heard it.

Luckily, it did. Loki just looked at Vanitas and offered a single nod, not at all surprised that Vanitas could do that.

"That hope no longer exists to protect you," Thor had to admit. "You betray me, and I will kill you."

"You and your promises," Vanitas commented.

After a second, Loki smirked at them.

"Hmm," he said in thought. "When do we start?"

"He will betray you both," Fandral assured Thor and Vanitas.

"He will try," Thor agreed.

"Never stopped us before," Vanitas remarked, pulling out his fire axe. "Doesn't mean he'll succeed."

They went to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, this is pretty fun


	7. Not a pleasant way out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanitas and co. escape the ancient city

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone knows of any nicknames for the city of Asgard, it would be much appreciated. I wanted to use one in the summary, and even tried Googling one. Nothing came up

Vanitas and Thor turned the corner and walked down the hallway with many columns, on guard for whatever they might run in to. Loki followed a few seconds later, not even trying to hide the glee from his face at the entire situation.

"This is so unlike you, brother," Loki laughed at Thor. "I expect it from the ravenette, but really! So clandestine. Are you sure you wouldn't rather just punch your way out?"

"If you keep speaking, I just might," Thor remarked.

"That's be a really fucking cool way to travel, though," Vanitas commented. "Want to go to another world, just punch the closest thing to you. It'd be convenient."

"That actually would," Loki said in thought.

His face dimmed at the look Thor was giving him.

"Fine," Loki relented. "As you wish. I'm not even here."

Green light flared around him, making him appear as an Asgardian soldier carrying a spear and shield.

"This is gonna get weird," Vanitas commented.

"Gonna?" Thor countered.

"Is this better?" Loki asked.

"It's better company, at least," Thor admitted.

"Oh, you don't mean that," Vanitas remarked. "Or maybe you do. I don't really know Loki that well."

"Still, we could be less conspicuous," Loki admitted.

Light flared once again. But this time, Loki was back to normal, but Thor had an illusion around him making him look like Sif.

"What the fuck?" Vanitas muttered.

"Mmm, brother, you look ravishing," Loki commented in a not serious way.

Thor in the image of Sif looked down, now realizing what had happened.

"It will hurt no less when I kill you in this form," Thor's voice promised from the illusion of Sif's mouth.

"Very well," Loki admitted, smile on his face. "Perhaps you prefer one of your new companions given that you seem to like them so much."

Light flared around the two, bringing back Thor, but replacing Loki with an illusion of Sora carrying his Keyblade.

"Mother of Laufey, how does this kid deal with being so short!?" the illusion of Sora exclaimed, perfectly in his voice. "And the compassion. 'My friends are my power', what the hell?"

"You weren't there for that conversation, what the hell there," Vanitas remarked.

"Maleficent and Riku broadcasted it, thinking it was a joke," the illusion admitted. "No, he's too short and happy for my likes."

Light flared around him again, changing the illusion of Steve Rogers in full Captain America garb, minus the mask, while carrying his shield.

"Oh, this is much better," the illusion remarked perfectly in Steve's voice, smile on his face. "Ooh." He looked down in thought. "The costume is a bit much. So tight. But the confidence..." Thor and Vanitas looked around in worry as Loki clenched his free hand into a fist. "I can feel the righteousness surging."

He then positioned himself so that he was walking backwards in front of the two.

"Hey, do you want to have a rousing discussion about truth?" Loki in the illusion of Steve asked. "Honor? Patriotism? God bless Amer..."

They cut him off when they got near a column. Thor pressed him into the column while covering his mouth with his hand. The illusion faded, changing him back into Loki.

"I see why you put the clamp over his mouth back in New York," Vanitas commented.

Thor nodded his head in recognition, and removed his hand from Loki's mouth.

"What?" Loki asked, confused.

The three of them turned to see the two Asgardian soldier walking down the hallway in front of them, their backs turned towards the three.

"Perhaps you could be a little quieter with your 'I'm awesome' speeches?" Vanitas suggested.

"Perhaps _you_ could at least furnish me with a weapon," Loki suggested to Thor. "My dagger, something."

Thor looked at Loki in thought for a second, before reaching into the back of his robe. A smirk appeared on Loki's face as Thor placed something on his hands.

"At last," Loki remarked. "A little common sense."

He looked down and his smile dropped. He raised his hands to his face to observe the handcuffs Thor had put around his wrists.

"Did you just not feel those?" Vanitas asked, eyebrow raised in curiosity.

"And I thought you liked tricks," Thor remarked, smirk on his face.

He and Vanitas smirked as they kept walking on, Loki behind them.

Earlier when they were still in discussion of the plan, Fandral raised another point.

"Well, what then?" he asked. "Your lovely mortal is being guarded by a legion of Einherjar who will see you coming from miles away."

"As much as I'd like to kick the asses of a bunch of Einherjar..." Vanitas admitted.

"Neither of us will be the ones who come for her," Thor finished.

He looked over at Sif, who widened her eyes at what he was suggesting.

 _Asking your ex to break your new girlfriend out of jail?_ Vanitas thought. _It's official, this guy is_ way _stupider than Sora._

Sif managed to do so pretty easily. She got Jane from the chamber and the two women met up with the men in a later hallway. During this, Thor had ditched his robe and was now just in his armor. Jane looked momentarily happy to see Thor again when they walked up to them, but that look faded when she saw Loki walk out from a column.

"You're..." she remarked as she got close enough to the boys.

"I'm Loki," Loki told her. "You may have heard of me..."

Jane interrupted any further words by slapping him in the face. Vanitas, Sif, and Thor all looked a little surprised.

"That was for New York," Jane remarked.

Loki smiled at her.

"I like her," he told Thor.

"Well, you guys would definitely have an interesting Thanksgiving," Vanitas commented.

Back when they were planning it all out, Sif raised a valiant point.

"And what of the Allfather?" she asked.

"It is my sworn duty to notify him of crimes against the throne," Heimdall informed the group around the table.

Which he did. While the others were doing all of this, he called Odin and some warriors to the observatory. He stood at on the diaz with his sword as they entered the room.

"You called me here on an urgent matter," Odin announced once they reached the room. "What is it?"

"Treason, my lord," Heimdall informed him.

"Whose?" Odin asked.

"Mine," Heimdall admitted as he pulled the sword out of the mantle.

"My king!" Tyr announced as he walked into the room. "The mortal has been taken."

Odin looked from him to Heimdall, who was holding out the sword for the soldiers.

"Stop Thor and Vanitas," Odin informed the soldiers. "By any means necessary."

Tyr and two other soldiers turned to leave, while Odin stared in disbelief at Heimdall. Nearby, where the five had gathered, Asgardian soldiers took notice of them from another hallway. Thor, Sif, and Vanitas turned towards the gathering forces as Loki and Jane stared daggers at each other.

"I'll hold them off," Sif informed them. "Take her."

"Thank you," Thor told her.

"I can at least help you a bit," Vanitas told her, pulling out a hand grenade. "Don't worry, with their level of armor, this won't hurt them..." He pulled the pin out. "...much."

He tossed the grenade towards the soldiers, and it landed in the middle of them. Thor, Jane, Vanitas, and Loki started to walk away when Vanitas stopped himself.

"Or maybe it will," he admitted.

The grenade then blew up, covering the area with fire, and causing some warriors to cry out in pain.

"I like you," Loki remarked, right before a sword appeared over his neck.

"Betray him, and I'll kill you," Sif informed Loki.

Loki chuckled.

"It's good to see you, too, Sif," he remarked as the soldiers not damaged by the blast pulled out their swords.

"And people say _my_ friends are dysfunctional," Vanitas commented.

He and Loki ran off to join the others as Sif stayed behind to face the warriors.

Back when they were planning it all out, Volstagg had a question of his own.

"Assuming you can get Loki's help, and you can free this mortal, what good would it do?" he asked. "We'd all be dead the minute we step one foot out of the palace."

"I'm already dead," Vanitas remarked. "The most they can do is just maim me."

"But despite that," Thor pointed out. "That, my friend, is why we won't be leaving by foot."

In the present, the group of four walked into a ruined room where a Dark Elf ship had crashed. They still hadn't cleaned up the mess or the ship, which was exactly what they needed. Volstagg was waiting for them, axe in hand.

"I will give you as much time as I can," Volstagg informed them.

"Thank you, my friend," Thor said, shaking his free hand.

"Means a lot to me, drinking buddy," Vanitas said, shaking his hand after Thor.

Jane smiled at Volstagg in gratitude as they moved to enter the ship. But then he stopped Loki before he could follow them into the ship.

"If you even think about betraying him..." Volstagg informed Loki.

"You'll kill me?" Loki asked. "Evidently, there will be a line."

"It's getting longer by the minute," Vanitas commented.

The warrior released his grip on Loki and let him follow Vanitas into the ship. He sighed out as he gripped his axe in his hands.

The group consisting of Thor, Jane, Vanitas, and Loki entered the Dark Elf ship and went up some stairs to the control station. They looked around in awe, and a little confusion. The ships were foreign to most of them, so they didn't exactly know where to start with piloting the ship. Thor took some guesses and started pressing buttons on the right panel, hoping for results.

"I thought you said you knew how to fly this thing," Loki commented.

"I said 'How hard could it be?'" Thor corrected him as he moved to the panel on the left.

"The Elves are kind of obscure," Vanitas pointed out. "I don't think they felt lessons on how to pilot their ships were that important."

"Oh, the failures of public education," Thor commented.

"You're telling me," Vanitas agreed, happy that whatever little he knew about his life at least kept him out of High School Hell.

As Thor kept hitting buttons and hoping, they were able to hear the faint sound of soldiers running into the room and yelling while fighting Volstagg.

"Well, whatever you're doing, brother," Loki said. "I suggest you do it faster."

"Shut up, Loki," Thor remarked.

"You must have missed something," Loki remarked as he stepped into the small space with control panels on each side.

"No, I didn't," Thor snapped as he tried more buttons. "I'm pressing every button on this thing."

"No, don't hit it," Loki corrected him. "Just press it gently."

"Why do I have a feeling you're gonna have similar problems in the bedroom?" Vanitas muttered to Jane.

Jane looked at him, offended by his words. Before she thought about the full scale his words for a second, and realized that he was probably right.

"I'm pressing it gently," Thor exclaimed, growing more angry and hitting more buttons. "It's not working!"

Suddenly and slowly, the equipment powered up, throwing up multiple projections, some of the city, and some of stuff they didn't understand.

"Ha, ha!" Thor exclaimed triumphantly as he placed his hands on each console.

"Huh, who would have thought that would work?" Vanitas asked, eyebrow raised in thought.

Blue light surrounded Thor and Loki as they stood in between the two consoles. Outside the sound of struggling while fighting grew louder, signaling Volstagg was fighting a losing battle. With just enough time, the engines activated. The ship rose into the air while blowing energy out of the thrusters, knocking all of the guards off of the downed Volstagg. Thor chuckled as they floated into the air. He turned the ship in the air, knocking out multiple columns in the room.

"I think you missed a column," Loki commented.

"Shut up!" Thor exclaimed.

"This is awesome!" Vanitas exclaimed, doing a fan-boy voice.

Thor piloted the ship through the columns and the nearest wall, breaking through it and flying into the open Asgardian air. The ship rotated as they flew over the city, something that it didn't look like Thor was doing on purpose.

"Look, why don't you let me take over?" Loki offered. "I'm clearly the better pilot."

"Is that right?" Thor asked. "Well, out of the two of us, which one can actually fly?"

"Well, what about Vanitas?" Loki offered.

"All I know is Gummi Ships thanks to a crazy, possibly drunk mechanic," Vanitas admitted, missing Cid. "If I fly this thing, I don't think I'll do much better than Thor."

"Well, that's disappointing," Loki remarked.

They flew the rotating ship over another outcropping of people, and Thor grunted as he dodged blasts from the Asgardian cannons. Loki chuckled as they flew down into lower levels underneath bridges to dodge attacks. Then, all of a sudden, Jane collapsed on the ground.

"Oh, dear," Loki said, unsympathetically. "Is she dead?"

"Jane?" Thor called out.

"I'm okay," Jane insisted, waving her arm with her eyes closed.

They exclaimed as they continued to dodge the attacks of firing cannons. The ship rotated some more as they flew up into the air, taking out the top of a tall building.

"Not a word," Thor snapped at Loki.

Asgardian skiffs then appeared behind them, no doubt piloted by soldiers.

"Now they're following us," Loki remarked.

"We're not blind, Loki," Vanitas snapped.

The skiffs then fired at them, some of the blasts causing explosions when they hit the ship.

"Now they're firing at us," Loki remarked.

"Yeah, thank you for the commentary, Loki," Thor snapped, angrily. "It's not at all distracting!"

Thor piloted the ship over a common area, and into a large area with an arch. During which, the ship took out part of the floor of the common area, and the head of a large statue.

"Well done," Loki commented. "You just decapitated your grandfather."

"Loki, I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt," Vanitas admitted. "But do you have a 'mute' button?"

Loki ignored the comment as Thor piloted the ship out of the arched area and into another open area, taking out another pillar along the way. He piloted the ship over the water, just as they came near more turrents front of them, firing wildly. The three in the control section grunted as another blast hit them. The ship continued to rotate as they flew down near what Vanitas guessed was an aqueduct.

"You know, this is wonderful," Loki remarked. "This is a tremendous idea. Let's steal the biggest, most obvious ship in the universe, and escape in that. Flying around in the city, smashing into everything in sight so everyone can see us. It's brilliant, Thor! It's truly brilliant!"

Thor got him to stop talking by opening the panel behind him and pushing him out, causing him to scream as he fell.

"Thank you," Vanitas remarked. "I was not a fan of experiencing how much _I_ annoy people."

Thor nodded his head as he picked up Jane in his arms. He and Vanitas jumped out of the open panel and landed on the skiff below them that Fandral had commandeered. They landed just as the blonde was laughing at Loki.

"I see your time in the dungeons has made you no less graceful, Loki," Fandral commented.

Loki stood up and faced the man in annoyance as Thor walked past him, carrying Jane. Vanitas looked up to see the other skiffs gunning down the wildly flying empty ship.

"Those dumbasses," Vanitas laughed.

"You lied to me," Loki remarked to Thor as he placed down Jane. But he didn't look mad. "I'm impressed."

"I'm glad you're pleased," Thor commented. "Now, do as you promised. Take us to your secret pathway."

Loki complied and took the reigns from Fandral with glee on his face. The back wings rotated to make them go faster, spraying some water as they eventually turned right.

"You look a little _too_ happy about that," Vanitas commented.

"I'm just really happy to be out of that cell," Loki admitted.

"True," Vanitas remarked. "Still, at least you had a pretty bougie cell. Especially compared to some of the ones you see in Europe."

"Yeah, you've been to European prison," Loki laughed.

"Uh, sure," Vanitas laughed awkwardly. "That was... just a joke."

Before anyone could call his bluff, another Asgardian skiffs appeared behind them, firing wildly. Loki turned the skiff, dodging the blasts as the skiff behind them floated up into the air to shoot at them. Excitedly, Vanitas pulled a boombox and his AR-15 with the triangular barrel out of his sling.

"I've always wanted to do this," Vanitas commented, kicking the boombox and aiming his rifle.

Powerman 5000's Heroes and Villains started playing out of the boombox as he fired his rifle at the skiff above them. He specifically aimed at the wings on the sides to try to knock off their steering. Loki made their own skiff rise higher into the air than the enemy skiff, which gave Vanitas easier targets.

"Fandral," Thor remarked.

"Right," Fandral agreed, walking past Loki and Thor. "I must admit, I am sorry to have to say goodbye to this music."

"That tends to happen with Powerman 5000," Vanitas chuckled as he kept firing his rifle.

Fandral stepped up onto a ledge on the skiff and picked up a piece of rope.

"For Asgard," he told them.

Fandral jumped off of the ship and used the rope to land on the enemy skiff. He kicked their asses pretty easily and gave a small solute to the others as they piloted their skiff over some mountains.

"Hope he'll be okay," Vanitas commented as he picked up the boombox.

"He'll be fine," Loki assured him. "We might be another story."

He turned the ship towards a mountain and flew it directly at the mountain range.

"Loki..." Thor informed him in a warning voice.

"If it were easy, everyone would do it," Loki remarked.

"Are you mad?" Thor asked.

"Possibly," Loki admitted.

"That's prison for ya," Vanitas remarked. "It changes people into fucking psychopaths!"

The brothers looked at him, surprise evident on both of their faces by his sudden rage.

"Sorry, I haven't slept in two weeks," Vanitas admitted, softly.

Thor turned towards Jane and held her sleeping form as they flew into a very small hole in the mountain range. Vanitas exclaimed as the wings hit the sides of the cave. As they flew through it, blue and purple energy started to surround them, signifying something happening. The energy flashed around them, taking them out of Asgard and to a barren land with black sand, and an eclipsed sun.

"Ta-da!" Loki exclaimed as the skiff bounced onto the ground before continuing to fly.

Vanitas gripped his head as he had another vision. Kurse tried to insist to Malekith to attack, but Malekith informed them that the Aether had "found its way home."

"They know we're here," Vanitas exclaimed as he leaned against a railing. "And something tells me they're not coming to bring us cookies."

The brothers took in his words as they flew over the destroyed city that they guessed used to be where the Dark Elves used to live. Thor put a blanket over the sleeping Jane's form as she lay at the front of the ship.

"What I could do with the power that that flows through those veins," Loki commented.

"It would consume you," Thor remarked.

"She's holding up all right," Loki countered. "For now."

"Loki, you already handled that staff and the Tesseract," Vanitas commented. "Don't you think two Infinity Stones is enough?"

He then suddenly looked curious.

"What's an Infinity Stone?" Thor asked, curiously.

"I don't know," Vanitas admitted. "And I don't know where I got that term."

He gripped his head in determined thought. Something about that term felt so... important.

"Besides," Thor moved on, looking at Loki. "She's strong in ways you'd never even know."

Vanitas suddenly gripped his head once again as they continued their conversation. This time, he saw bits and pieces of the future.

"Say goodbye," Loki informed Thor, ignoring Vanitas' spasm.

"Not this day," Thor remarked.

"This day, the next, a hundred years, it's nothing," Loki remarked. He stood up so that he was over Thor. "It's a heartbeat. You'll never be ready. The only woman whose love you've prized will be snatched from you."

"And will that satisfy you?" Thor asked, angrily.

"Satisfaction is not in my nature," Loki remarked.

"Surrender is not in mine," Thor countered.

"The son of Odin..." Loki chuckled.

"No," Thor remarked, standing up. "Not just of Odin. You think you alone were loved of Mother? You had her tricks, but I had her trust."

"Trust?" Loki asked, venom in his voice. "Was that her last expression? Trust? When you let her die?"

"What help were you in your cell?" Thor remarked.

"Who put me there?" Loki asked. "Who put me there!?"

"You know damn well!" Thor remarked, pushing Loki into one of the wings, raising his fist. "You know damn well who!"

"Hey, dumbasses!" Vanitas exclaimed, standing up and walking over to the quarreling brothers. "I was there! She died defending Jane, valiantly. She defied Malekith, and he decided to be petty! Neither of you were at fault. Thor was pre-occupied by the dozens of enemies in his way, and Loki, we went over this, you were in that cell because Nut-Sack Chin made you do his bidding! She went out on her own terms, doing what she felt was right. And you guys are only disrespecting her memory by blaming each other for what happened. She raised you both as equals, despite the fact that you weren't blood brothers. She wanted you as brothers, despite all of that."

He sighed out, suddenly really out of breath and tired, even though he couldn't physically feel those. He put it up to the pent up anger by how crappy his own life was going.

"He's right," Thor admitted, looking at Loki, releasing him and lowering his fist. "She would not want us to fight. And despite everything, she wanted us to be actual brothers, despite our different lineages."

"That she did," Loki agreed. He sighed out. "Despite everything, you are still my brother. And I don't think anything will change that. But you must admit: she wouldn't exactly be shocked."

The two smirked and chuckled lightly at their words.

"I wish I could trust you," Thor admitted.

He turned from Loki, who eventually stood up and looked at his brother with determination.

"Trust my rage," Loki promised.

"See, _that's_ how brothers are supposed to react," Vanitas commented.

He turned towards the sleeping Jane, and chuckled with a wide smile on his face. This caused confusion to grow on the brothers' faces.

"What are you smiling about?" Loki asked, curiously.

He looked at Thor, then Loki. His visions of the future included Jane actually holding Mjolnir, and in full armor, facing off against something with Thor. At first, Vanitas was curious about it, because of the restrictions of the hammer, but he eventually settled on how awesome it was going to eventually be.

"Let's just say she's a lot stronger than _either_ of you could know right not," was all Vanitas admitted.

"What did you see in your visions?" Thor asked.

"Oh, you'll find out eventually," Vanitas chuckled, cryptically.

"All right, if you won't answer me that, tell me this," Thor relented. "Who is Nut-Sack Chin?"

"Uh, long story, some of it I don't know myself," Vanitas admitted. "Damn cryptic visions."

To prove his point, he gripped his head in pain as he had another one. Darcy got Erik out of the crazy people's place with help of her associate, Ian. They exited with Erik's equipment, and witnessed a bit of craziness from the Convergence causing random bursts of teleportation. A large flock of birds disappeared from the air, and reappeared by flying up in between the. Erik laughed realizing he wasn't as crazy as he thought, and ordered them to take him to Jane's lab.

The vision ended as they flew continued to fly through the city's ruins. Vanitas looked out at the crazy expanse, just as Jane woke up, her eyes slightly glazed over. Thor called out her name as she turned towards the side of the ship and looked out at the sky. They followed her gaze to see the Dark Elf ship come out of the dark green clouds in the sky.

"Malekith," Jane assessed.

They landed the skiff near a ridge and climbed off. Thor helped Jane along with an arm around her shoulders as Loki and Vanitas led the way, Loki's hands still in cuffs, and Vanitas still holding his rifle. They stopped at a ridge to see the ship floating in the air far in front of and below them. Many of Malekith's warriors had exited the ship and were walking into a ready position, Malekith and Kurse leading the way in the center.

"All right, are you ready?" Thor asked.

Jane nodded her head.

"I am," Loki confirmed.

"Can I just say I don't like this plan?" Vanitas asked.

"You can," Thor relented. "Doesn't mean we're not going to do it."

"Which describes about ninety percent of the plans I have to go through with," Vanitas sighed out.

He stood up, ready, with his rifle in his hands. Vanitas walked to the edge of the ridge and stood ready with Thor and Loki as they stared down at Malekith's forces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just now realizing how crazy the editing in movies can be when you then have to transfer it to writing


	8. Battle on Svartalfheim

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor, Vanitas, and Loki face off against Malekith's forces on Svartalfheim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't tell if this one or the previous one was the climax. Go figure

The three of them looked down at Malekith's forces as they gathered in the center of the land. The lead Elf himself stopped and looked up at the ridge they were standing on, staring at them staring at him.

"You know, this plan of yours is going to get us killed," Loki told Thor.

"Yes, possibly," Thor admitted.

"Which, again, describes ninety percent of the plans I get involved in," Vanitas commented.

Loki nodded his head at Vanitas then, raised his shackled hands expectantly at Thor. Thor looked down at them in thought.

"You still don't trust me brother?" Loki asked.

"Would you?" Thor asked.

He started to adjust the shackles with his right hand while holding Mjolnir in his left. Jane and Vanitas watched warily as Thor removed the shackles from Loki's wrists. Loki rubbed his hands and turned to look down at the elves with Thor and Vanitas.

"No, I wouldn't," Loki admitted.

He pulled out a knife and stabbed Thor in the stomach. Thor fell and started rolling down the hill. Vanitas raised his rifle at Loki, but he grabbed it and pulled Vanitas forwards. He slashed the ravenette in the neck, causing him to fall down the hill after Thor as both of their weapons flew off in random directions.

"Thor! V!" Jane called out as Loki started jumping down the hill after them. "No!"

Malekith watched with interest as the four made their way quickly down the hill. He started to move forwards as Thor and Vanitas stopped rolling and landed on the ground.

"You really think I cared about Frigga?" Loki asked, venom in his voice as he walked over to the two. "About any of you."

He kicked Thor in the head as he got on his hands and knees. This caused him to roll forwards a bit. Vanitas made a move to punch him, but Loki caught it. He stabbed Vanitas in the stomach, then kicked him away. Malekith had started to get close enough to hear their words as Loki continued the conflict.

"All I ever wanted..." Loki remarked as Thor noticed Jane nearby running towards them. "...was you and Odin..." Thor noticed Mjolnir nearby. "...dead at my feet!"

Thor raised his hand for Mjolnir. Just as it started to fly towards him, Loki grabbed his wrist and cut off his hand. Thor exclaimed in pain as the hammer flew past him. He fell back onto his back and gripped his stump as Jane ran to him and leaned over him, worried. Vanitas got up and pulled out a knife of his own. He raised it in a stab, but Loki caught it and redirected the knife into Vanitas' chin. Vanitas exclaimed in pain as Loki kicked him in the knee, causing him to fall to the ground.

Loki then grabbed Jane by her stomach and forced her to her feet. He turned towards the approaching enemies as she struggled in his arm.

"Malekith!" Loki called out. "I am Loki of Jotunheim, and I bring you a gift!"

He threw Jane forwards, and she landed roughly between the god of tricks and leader of the dark elves. She looked up in fear at the man.

"I only ask one thing in return..." Loki exclaimed. "A good seat from which to watch Asgard burn."

"He is an enemy of Asgard," Kurse informed Malekith. "He was a prisoner in their dungeons."

Malekith took in their words and looked at Jane with interest as he walked past her. He walked over to the writhing Thor and Vanitas, and looked down at them with scorn.

"Look at me," he snapped in perfect English.

He kicked Thor, causing him to roll over, which gave him the perfect viewpoint to look at Malekith. Vanitas pulled the knife out of his chin and looked up at the Dark Elf. Malekith then pointed his hand at Jane, and raised it up into the air, causing her to rise up into the air. Thor, Vanitas, and Loki watched in amazement as Malekith looked at the raised woman. Red and black energy flew out of her face, and started to gather in the air.

Vanitas gripped his head as he shared a vision with Jane. They both saw Malekith's plan to use it to encover all of the Nine Realms in darkness, starting with Earth and the Sun. The vision extended past the Nine Realms to the worlds he had visited with Sora and the gang, including Traverse Town, Hollow Bastion, and even Kingdom Hearts.

_What will the similarities between this guy and Xehanort end?_ Vanitas thought.

The vision ended as the rest of the Aether flew out of Jane. She fell to the ground as the energy flew into Malekith's raised hand.

"Loki!" Thor exclaimed. "Now!"

Loki made the illusions disappear. Thor's hand reappeared, and Vanitas disappeared from the ground and reappeared next to Loki with his rifle raised. Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand, Loki moved to help up Jane, and Vanitas fired his rifle at Kurse and the Dark Elves. Thor shot lightning from Mjolnir into the gathered energy of the Aether. He kept this up for a bit, causing it to rise into the air and explode in a giant red and black blast.

Eventually the dust faded, and Thor stood there with Mjolnir, the metal sleeves of his armor on. He and Vanitas breathed in and out as Jane and Loki leaned down on the side, watching them.

Red shards suddenly floated up into the air from the ground. The four watched in shock as the shards flew across the ground to the awaiting Malekith's hand. Kurse and the other Dark Elves stood on the side, ready. Malekith exclaimed as the energy of the Aether flew into his body, but stopped when it stopped flowing into him. He opened his eyes at them, revealing that they were now orange.

Malekith looked at Kurse, and the two moved towards the ship. The other elves walked past them towards the heroes.

Thor quickly knocked three approaching elves aside with Mjolnir, and Vanitas shot at them until his rifle ran out of ammo. He replaced his empty rifle with his fire axe. They charged towards the approaching Dark Elves, but Kurse decided to make things even more difficult for them.

Kurse removed an imploding grenade from his belt and lobed it at Loki and Jane. Loki pushed Jane out of the way, and moved to follow her when the grenade went off in the air. It lifted him up and started to suck him in before Thor flew towards him with Mjolnir. He caught Loki in the air and they grunted as they landed on the ground. The grenade imploded with dust and dirt, but otherwise causing no damage.

The two brothers stood up and looked towards the ship just as Malekith and Kurse started to climb on board. Vanitas took out Dark Elves on his own way to the ramp as he ran forwards. Thor raised his hammer towards the ship and flew at them. But just as both Thor and Vanitas got close enough, Kurse turned and swatted them both aside, causing them to fall back, away from the ship.

They lost their weapons as they landed, but quickly stood up. Kurse stayed behind and faced them on his own. Thor moved to punch Kurse, but got punched twice for his trouble. Kurse then swatted Thor aside again, causing him to fly through the air from the attack. Vanitas looked up just in time to see the Dark Elf ship disappear before Kurse swatted him aside as well.

He landed near to Loki, who was surrounded by four Dark Elves. Loki intercepted one Elf's attack while Thor was picked up by the neck by Kurse. Since Thor was the one in more immediate danger, Vanitas ran towards him to help. Thor punched him twice, and punched upwards one more time, which Kurse ducked under to dodge. Kurse then swatted Thor aside, causing him to fly back to the bottom of a mountain.

Vanitas raised his hand towards his fire axe, and this time, the weapon flew into his hand. Vanitas swung his axe at Kurse, which he caught. Vanitas used that to jump up over Kurse's head, and blasted him right in the face with a big fire ball. Kurse exclaimed as he stepped back from the attack, covering his face. Vanitas followed it up by smacking the warrior in the head with the flat of his axe, then slashing him in the arm with a swing.

"Ha!" Vanitas exclaimed, cockily. "Take that, motherfucker!"

He swung his axe at Kurse again, but Kurse caught his wrist this time. Kurse swatted Vanitas aside, causing _him_ to drop his axe and fly through the air, near Thor.

"Rule number 47," Vanitas reminded himself. "Never let yourself get reckless or cocky."

Kurse then broke a large boulder bigger than himself off of the ground and lifted it up into the air with both hands. He lobed it at Thor, who raised his arms in defense. The boulder shattered to pieces around him, filling his vision with dust, and surrounding him with rocks on the ground.

Thor was on his hands and knees and looked up to see Kurse walking towards him, murder in his eyes. Mjolnir flew towards Thor next to Vanitas, who was charging at Kurse, Mossberg 500 shotgun in his hands. Kurse turned around and knocked aside the approaching Mjolnir, causing it to fly into a mountainside. Vanitas faced Kurse and fired his shotgun multiple times at the overpowered warrior, to no avail.

Once the shotgun went empty, Vanitas blasted fireballs at Kurse as he continued to run at the warrior. Once he got close enough, Kurse grabbed his wrist in his strong fist once again. Vanitas made fire appear around the warrior's hands in an attempt to get him off, to no avail. Kurse forced Vanitas to the ground, stomping him in the stomach and chest, breaking a couple of ribs. Vanitas exclaimed as he reached for his sling on his back, before Kurse stomped his arm, breaking that, too.

Loki took out his own Dark Elves and looked up just in time to see Kurse beating down on Vanitas and Thor. The overpowered Elf forced Thor onto his back and punched him multiple times as hard as he could. He stopped when a long blade extended out of his chest. The soldier turned towards Loki, murder in his eyes.

Kurse then grabbed Loki and pulled him into the blade on his chest, causing him to get impaled on the blade. Loki exclaimed as the blade entered his torso.

"No!" Thor bellowed out.

"You fucking cock!" Vanitas yelled, successfully pulling a grenade launcher out of his sling.

Loki strained slightly as Kurse tossed him onto the ground. He breathed in and out as the overpowered Elf walked slightly towards him.

"See you in hell, monster," Loki strained to get out.

Kurse looked down in surprise to see that Loki had activated the remaining implosion grenade on his belt. Orange energy gathered around the Elf and lifted him into the air as he screamed in pain. Eventually, Kurse's entire body was pulled apart and imploded into itself in the air.

"Damn," Vanitas coughed out, sliding his grenade launcher back into his sling. "I wanted to do that."

He struggled to stand up and followed Thor over to the downed Loki.

"No," Thor exclaimed in denial. "No, no, no."

"Don't worry," Vanitas exclaimed, kind of certain his lungs had holes in them. He reached into his Potion pocket with his left hand. "He's still alive, they'll work. And I've still got some Potions in..."

He paused, feeling the interior to be wet. Vanitas pulled his hand out to see small shards of broken glass on his hand, along with the green liquid of Potions.

"...here," Vanitas finished. "Fuck, that was the last of my Potions."

Thor groaned out in sadness at this development. He held Loki in his arms as he laid there.

"Oh, you fool," Thor told Loki, who was still writhing a bit. "You didn't listen."

"I know..." Loki admitted as his skin started to turn a shade darker. He looked down at his wound and back up at Thor. "I'm a fool, I'm a fool."

"Stay with me, okay?" Thor asked, placing a hand on his brother's cheek.

"I'm sorry," Loki weakly said as Thor removed his hand and placed it on his wound. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Shh..." Thor whispered to Loki as his skin went darker.

"We already know," Vanitas weakly got out. "Whatever else happened in the past, you fought with us here. As a brother..." He looked at Thor to emphasize his point, then back at Loki. "...and as a friend."

"He's right, it's okay," Thor softly said, slowly nodding his head. After a few seconds, he continued, "It's all right. I'll tell Father what you did here today."

Loki stared at him for a few seconds with his eyes going more blank as his skin got darker.

"I didn't do it for him..." he managed to get out.

After a few more seconds, Loki laid back and closed his eyes as his skin continued turning a shade of blue. Both Vanitas and Thor exclaimed in sadness at what just happened.

"No!" Thor exclaimed, hurt in his voice.

Vanitas punched the ground in disappointment, pretty sure his lungs were permitting his speech a bit. Jane walked towards them, and shared a sad look with Thor, which surprised Vanitas a bit after how they had just met a few hours prior. He shook it off and looked down in equal sadness.

Their plan had failed, and Loki payed the price for it.

* * *

The growing winds eventually became too much for them, and they had to start to move to leave. Vanitas managed to use the other supplies in his bag to put his right arm into a sling, and walked with Thor and Jane through the winds. Thor kept his right arm wrapped around Jane and Mjolnir raised to block the dust and wind from their faces.

They got out of the winds and entered a cave, safe from the hazardous environment of the planet for the moment. The three of them coughed out as they walked further into the cave, contemplating what to do next.

"He's going to unleash it," Jane breathlessly exclaimed. "Not just on Asgard, or on a star. Malekith is going to destroy everything."

"How?" Thor asked. "Jane, how?"

"I saw him on Earth," Jane explained. "Why would he go to Earth?"

"The Convergence," Thor answered.

"Earth will probably be ground zero for his attack," Vanitas assessed. "I saw that vision, too. He'll extend it past the Nine Realms, all the way to the other worlds. Including Kingdom Hearts."

"Oh, god," Jane exclaimed in worry. "None of this would have happened if I hadn't found the Aether."

"Then Malekith would've only possessed it that much sooner," Thor assured her.

"Yeah, it's not your fault the random-ass portals took you to the hidden place where the Aether was," Vanitas added. "So, this is really all the Convergence's fault."

The two chuckled at Vanitas' words before Jane looked up at Thor.

"I only found it because I was looking for you," she admitted.

"Jane..." Thor said, placing his hand on her chin in comfort.

"Now we're trapped here," Jane finished.

All of a sudden, Hip Hop music started playing somewhere. The three looked around curiously, and Jane looked up at Thor.

"It's not me," he admitted.

"All I've got for my boombox is Fall Out Boy and death metal," Vanitas admitted when they looked at him.

Jane realized it was her phone and pulled it out of her pocket.

"Hello?" she asked as she answered it.

"Holy shit, that is amazing reception," Vanitas exclaimed, pointing at her. "Although, I'm a little worried about how that bill is gonna look."

"Richard?" Jane suddenly asked as she walked forwards. "Where are you?"

After the guy answered, she raised her phone up to look at it.

"Oh, my god, this is amazing," Jane assessed. The guy said some words that they couldn't make out. "How am I getting service here?"

Vanitas then raised an eyebrow as he and Thor watched, confused.

"You might have had a little competition," Vanitas whispered to Thor as Jane insisted the guy didn't hang up his phone. "Which is kind of fair, considering how long you took. You should probably give her a way to contact you while you're on other worlds. Hell, _I_ need one of those."

"Oh, my god," Jane commented, noticing a crumpled can on the ground.

"What the hell?" Vanitas asked as he walked next to her as she picked up some keys.

"No, no, no, nothing at all," Jane told the guy on the phone. She looked at Thor and gestured with her arm. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Thor asked as she led them forwards. "Why are there so many shoes here?"

They suddenly went through a portal and walked out in that shipping sight they had met her at.

"Ho-oly shit!" Vanitas laughed out. "Thank you, Convergence!"

They found Jane's car nearby and entered it, a little confused by the graffiti on the sides.

"Who the hell vandalizes a car?" Vanitas asked. "I mean, the people who own it will just get it painted over in no time."

"Idiots," Jane commented as Thor sat in the front passenger's seat.

"So who's Richard?" Thor asked her.

"Really?" Jane asked as she moved the gears into place.

"All Nine Realms and beyond are in danger right now," Vanitas commented. "We don't exactly have time to go over all _that._ "

Jane gestured to Vanitas in agreement, and Thor let it go. He sat back in his seat and let Jane drive the car onto the road, ready to find help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Thor. Poor Vanitas. Poor Loki!


	9. A New Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After patching up from the previous attack, Thor and Vanitas devise a new plan with their friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I can't remember any of the names of Moogles from the games, so I just rolled with it

The three of them reached the apartment housing as Jane's lab and entered, seeing Darcy working at the computer. She turned towards the sound of the door opening and stood up.

"Jane!" Darcy exclaimed.

"Hey," Jane said as she took off her jacket that she had put on earlier over her Asgardian dress.

"You can't just leave like that," Darcy exclaimed while Thor hung Mjolnir by its strap on the coat rack. "The whole world is going crazy. All that stuff we saw is spreading."

"That's kinda funny," Vanitas laughed, pointing at the hanging hammer with his free hand.

"Did you go to a party?" Darcy asked.

"Erik?" Jane asked the scientist who sat at the table.

"Jane!" Erik exclaimed as he stood up, revealing he wasn't wearing pants. "How wonderful."

He enveloped her in a hug. Ian nodded at Thor and Vanitas as the two of them turned towards Erik and Jane.

"Oh!" Erik exclaimed as they released from the hug. He noticed her fancy clothes. "You've been to Asgard."

"Where are your pants?" Jane asked.

"Oh, he, uh..." Ian said. "He says it helps him think."

"Sounds like my uncle Howard," Vanitas commented. He laughed and looked up in thought. "Ah, I miss that drunk fuck."

"What the hell happened to you?" Darcy exclaimed, taking in Vanitas' badly damaged form.

"I'm out of Potions," was all Vanitas said.

"Okay, well, I'm going to need everything you got on this," Jane informed Erik. "All the work you've been doing on gravimetric anomalies, everything."

"Okay," Erik said as Jane walked past him.

"Are you well, Erik?" Thor asked.

"How you doing, Doc Selvig?" Vanitas asked.

Erik laughed and raised his arms out towards them.

"Your brother's not coming, is he?" he asked Thor.

"Loki is dead," Thor softly said.

"Oh, thank god!" Erik exclaimed.

"Dude," Vanitas said as Thor frowned slightly.

"I..." Erik corrected himself awkwardly. "I meant, I'm so sorry."

"Thank you," Thor said.

Erik leaned in and gave the two a hug, smiling widely at them. Vanitas smiled a bit before gripping his head in pain. Odin was informed by a soldier that they found a body on the Dark World, and he immediately figured out it was Loki. He was drawn out of his image by a scream of surprise.

"What is that?" Darcy exclaimed.

He turned towards her and smiled. A Moogle had appeared in one corner of the room, and it didn't look like they were aware of it being there before.

"Hey, it's a Moogle!" Vanitas exclaimed in excitement as he walked to the floating being. "They're the shopkeepers of the many worlds. They use holograms to conduct business from their home world."

He stopped in front of the Moogle and leaned down so he was eye level, even though its eyes were closed.

"And what's your name?" Vanitas asked in a friendly manner.

"I'm Benta," the Moogle told him.

"Well, Benta, I am in desperate need of Potions," Vanitas informed... them. He legitimately couldn't tell the gender.

"That you are," Benta agreed. "You have a messed up face."

"That I do," Vanitas agreed.

He purchased many Potions of different varieties and immediately used one, mending his broken bones and healed the cuts on his face.

"All right," Vanitas assessed, moving a bone back into place manually. "Now what?"

They gathered around the computer desk to observe the notes and the laptop.

"Malekith is going to fire the Aether at a spot where all the nine realms are connecting," Jane explained.

"Amplifying the weapon's impact," Erik figured out. "For each additional world, the power will increase exponentially. The effect would be universal."

"It'd have to be, if he plans on reaching Kingdom Hearts," Vanitas remarked.

"But the Alignment is only temporary," Thor pointed out. "He must be in exactly the right place at the right time."

"Well, how do we know where that is?" Darcy asked. "Could Vanitas try to sense it?"

"If only my visions were that simple," Vanitas admitted. "Then I'd have my life force back by tomorrow."

"Luckily you don't need to," Erik said, standing up. "We follow the directions."

"This is has happened before, thousands of years ago," Erik explained as he picked up a rolled up map and some supplies. "The ancients were there to see it."

He cleared off a table and opened up the blueprint on the table.

"All the great constructions," Erik explained as the paper landed on the paper. "The Mayans, the Chinese, the Egyptians."

The others gathered around the table as Erik used a marker and ruler to mess with the map.

"They made use of the gravitational effects of the Convergence," Erik continued. "And they left us a map."

"Stonehenge," Erik told them, connecting that point with another with the ruler. "Snowdon, the Great Orme. These are all coordinates taking us... here."

He finished drawing the lines on the map, pointing to the point where they all intersected, which turned out to be Greenwich.

"Greenwich?" Ian asked.

"The walls between worlds will be almost non-existent," Jane remarked. "Physics is going to go ballistic. Increases and decreases in gravity, spatial extrusions. The very fabric of reality is going to be torn apart."

"Why am I always there when physics go all haywire?" Vanitas asked.

Mjolnir then flew off of the hook and back into Thor's hand.

"I better get my pants," Erik remarked.

"You think?" Vanitas asked, eyebrow raised.

* * *

They made their way to the spot in Greenwich, near a big field with fancy buildings, where they knew the spot was.

"Focus!" Darcy exclaimed as they pulled the equipment out of the back of the car. "This is important. We have to hammer them in all around the site and then Jane and Erik will activate them from the tower."

"They're taped together," Ian complained.

"Do you even know what these things do?" Darcy asked.

"Uh... no," Ian admitted.

"Neither do I," Darcy admitted.

"Just get the equipment ready," Vanitas remarked as he moved past them, going towards where he knew Thor would be.

Close by, the sound of water splashing drew his attention. He saw the water in the river splashing aside, but there was nothing there.

"Uh, oh," Vanitas commented as the ship slowly came into view.

Dozens of people, including Jane and Ian, ran past him as the ship busted through the ground and the dock. Vanitas leaped out of the way of the ship, landing on a nearby roof. He watched as the ship busted through the ground of the courtyard, throwing debris all around. It stopped as it ended up in the middle of two large buildings. People kept running out of fear of the giant alien ship.

"Shit!" Vanitas exclaimed in surprise, just now taking in how large the ship was.

A pod slid down the center of the ship, and once it reached the bottom, a slot opened up. Malekith stepped out and walked down a ramp, many Dark Elves behind him. He looked up to see clouds gathered, signaling that this was indeed, where the Convergence would happen.

Malekith turned towards his allies expectantly, but stopped when he looked forwards to see Thor leaping over buildings and landing in front of him. Vanitas leaped off of the building he was on and landed next to his friend and ally.

"You needn't have come, Asgardian and Keyblade Master," Malekith announced. "Death would have come to you soon enough."

"Not by your hand," Thor remarked.

"And I can't die right now," Vanitas remarked.

Both Vanitas and Thor walked towards the Elf, who was in turn walking towards them.

"Your universe was never meant to be," Malekith told them. "Your worlds and your families will be extinguished!"

Energy from the Aether surrounded Malekith and shot the energy at Thor and Vanitas. Thor blocked it with Mjolnir, and Vanitas rolled forwards to block. Vanitas pulled a Glock out of his sling and fired at Malekith. Unfortunately, Malekith moved aside each incoming bullet with the energy from the Aether.

More energy from the Aether shot out of Malekith, knocking back both Thor and Vanitas this time. Even as he could sense Erik and Jane doing their best to figure out how to use the equipment, he still fell back in pain with Thor.

The two stood up and blocked another attack of energy, Thor with his hammer, and Vanitas with a lot of fire. It protected them from the attack, but they were still forced onto their knees.

"You know, with all that power..." Thor said, wiping his mouth. "I thought you'd hit harder."

"You weak motherfucker," Vanitas added to that insult as he pulled out his aluminum bat.

Energy surrounded Malekith once again, but Thor stopped the attack by throwing Mjolnir at him. The hammer hit Malekith, knocking him back into more Dark Elves. The lead Elf flew back so far, through a pillar, and into a car. Thor and Vanitas leaped over the wreckage, and landed in front of the Elf. Thor broke a car during his landing, but made lightning come out from his impact and shock Malekith.

Vanitas ran towards the villain and smacked him in the face multiple times with his bat, knowing that him being electrocuted would prevent him from attacking.

Vanitas suddenly then felt something was different, so he looked up to see multiple portals high into the air, with different places in the large circles, signaling the different worlds ready for the Convergence. He could sense one of the pieces of equipment they had surging energy, which took away many Dark Elves.

"That's awesome," Vanitas commented.

He was drawn out of his thoughts when Malekith knocked him back next to Thor with Aether energy. Both Thor and Vanitas exclaimed as they ran back at the man, energy still around him. He shot the energy at them, but both heroes ducked under the energy. Thor hit him with Mjolnir, which knocked him back through a new sudden portal. He ran forwards towards the portal, but was knocked back when Malekith suddenly reappeared through the portal.

"Bring it on, bitch," Vanitas commented, raising his bat.

Vanitas ducked under another attack from Aether energy, then smacked him in the side with his bat. Malekith smacked Vanitas in the face with his left hand, but he bit through the pain. Vanitas lifted his bat with both hands and smacked him hard in the face with it. He then kicked the man in the stomach and smacked him in the chin with the bat, causing him to reel in the pain. That made Vanitas smirked, but his smile faded when Malekith got back up quickly.

Malekith knocked back Vanitas pretty quickly, which allowed him to notice that a crowd was gathering in nearby windows to watch them. Thor then jumped up over Malekith and slammed Mjolnir into the Elf's raised arm. This caused a massive shockwave that took up ground and shattered windows. Malekith then suddenly spread his arms, causing Thor to get thrown back onto another building's roof. But Thor recovered and flew towards him and tackled the villain with Vanitas through another portal, along with some nearby cars.

They came out of the portal into the Dark World. They ended up rolling down the hill of dirt with the cars nearby. They exclaimed as they fell down the hill and off another cliff. Thor smacked Malekith with his hammer, which he absorbed. Malekith kicked Thor in the stomach as they fell through the air. Vanitas put Malekith into a head lock as they fell through another portal.

They ended up over another part of a city, once again falling through the air. Malekith head-butted Vanitas, making him lose his grip. Thor hit Malekith in the head with Mjolnir as they got closer to the ground. Instead of hitting the ground, the three warriors fell through another portal.

They ended up actually landing on the Dark World once again. The three stood up, ready, pretty quickly. Thor threw Mjolnir right at Malekith, but it went through a portal that appeared right in front of Malekith.

"That's unfortunate," Vanitas commented as he blasted fire at Malekith.

Malekith dodged the attack by sending out more Aether energy, absorbing the fire and knocking back Thor and Vanitas. They both ended up on their hands and knees, and Malekith walked towards them. When he got close enough, Vanitas tried punching the Elf in the groin. It didn't have much of an affect, so Malekith continued with his attempted attack of a punch to Thor's head. Attempted because another portal opened under the three, swallowing them.

They fell out over a large, glass roofed building. The three crashed onto the glass roof and slid down the broken glass. The three screamed as they started to fall to the ground. Thor held out his hand for Mjolnir, summoning it from wherever it was. But right before he could catch the hammer, the three of them went through another portal, causing the hammer to fly up into the air once again.

They ended up landing on a cliff on what Vanitas guessed was Jutonheim, based off of the ice all around them. The three of them stood up and breathed out, taking in their new surroundings. Vanitas was right about to punch Malekith in the face once again before the cave entrance in front of the three drew their attention. Or, rather, it was the growling inside the cave. What Vanitas guessed was a hellhound leaped out at them, which they dodged.

The hellhound crashed into the ground, causing the cliff to break off, making Malekith, Vanitas, and Thor start falling once again. They screamed out as they, the cliff, and the hellhound fell through another portal with the debris.

"Anyone else sick of falling!?" Vanitas exclaimed as they fell through the air.

Malekith landed near his ship, and Vanitas and Thor landed in a subway.

"Oh, fuck!" Vanitas exclaimed as they stood up.

The door to subway next to them opened up, and the two of them breathed in and out while regarding its occupants.

"How do we get to Greenwich?" Thor asked.

"Take this train," a shocked woman explained while another woman took pictures of the two with her phone. "Three stops."

The two climbed onto the train and held onto the roof. The door slid shut behind them, and they let the train start going. The woman pretended to be knocked back by the train car so she could bump into Thor's chest.

"Sorry," the woman pretended to apologize as she patted his chest. "Sorry."

Thor at least gave her a smile as he and Vanitas held on to the train.

"Man, I need a life," Vanitas sighed out as the bus continued on.

Vanitas gripped his head in pain as he saw Malekith standing right under where the worlds had gathered in line. A lot of black and red energy gathered around him, signaling the start of what he was going to do. The energy gathered around the buildings around him, and started rising up to consume his ship in a gigantic halo. The energy started to fly into the portals, and started to fly into the other eight realms.

Thor and Vanitas ran out of the subway entrance and saw the edge of the halo, right at the end of the street.

"Thor!" Jane called out behind them.

The two turned to see Jane and Erik running towards them, Erik carrying his equipment rods.

"We're too late," Jane assessed as they stopped next to Thor and Vanitas.

"The Convergence is at its peak," Erik remarked.

"Can those things stop him?" Thor asked, looking at the rods Erik was carrying.

"Not from here," Erik admitted.

"They have to be within that halo, don't they?" Vanitas asked.

"That, they do," Erik admitted.

"Oh, fuck our luck," Vanitas commented.

"We can't get close enough," Jane pointed out.

"V and I can," Thor informed them.

"I knew you were gonna say that," Vanitas sighed out.

The two took the rods from Erik and started running towards the halo. They pushed strongly through the force of the halo as they were determined to reach Malekith. It wasn't easy, even with their enhanced strengths. After pushing through enough of the wind and red air, Malekith eventually came into view.

"Malekith!" Thor called out.

"Hey, dickhead!" Vantias added.

Malekith slowly turned towards them, scorn in his eyes on his half burned face.

"Darkness returns, Asgardian and Keyblade Master," Malekith remarked. "Have you come to witness the end of your universe?"

"Quite the opposite, actually," Vanitas remarked.

"We've come to accept your surrender," Thor added.

Thor tossed one of the rods at Malekith, which he decided to catch like an idiot. Nearby, Jane activated the rod, which made Malekith's arm disappear, dispelling Aether energy. Malekith watched in shock as Vanitas tossed his rod at him, getting him in the shoulder. The rod activated, making his other arm disappear.

"You think you can stop this?" Malekith asked. Aether energy shot out of his stumps to substitute as arms. "The Aether cannot be destroyed."

"But you can," Thor countered.

"Bye, motherfucker," Vanitas added.

Thor and Vanitas charged at Malekith and leaped towards him. Mjolnir flew back into Thor's hand just in time. Vanitas stabbed the last rod into Malekith's chest, and Thor drove it in further by hitting it with Mjolnir. This caused Malekith to get knocked back into his ship as the red and black energy dissipated completely.

With Malekith driven into his ship, Jane activated the remaining rod, which activated and took him away.

Jane ran out from her hiding point and found the unconscious Thor laid where they were standing just moments earlier. Vanitas sat next to him, kind of bloodied and tired.

"I need a fucking vacation," Vanitas sighed out.

Nearby creaking drew Vanitas' attention to the ship still in place over them. Something broke, causing the ship to fall to the ground, and start to fall towards them.

"Thor!" Jane exclaimed as she started to run towards the two. "No."

"Get up, man, we gotta get the fuck out of here!" Vanitas exclaimed as both he and Jane tried to help Thor get up.

They moved him onto his back, but he was still unconscious. Both Jane and Vanitas stood up and tried pulling at his arms to try to help him get up.

"Why are you awake?" Jane asked, confused.

"I can't sleep!" Vanitas explained. "No life force, don't need to! I need a special potion to do so, but I ran out ages ago. And are we really focussing on that now!?"

"Jane! V!" Erik exclaimed nearby, his eyes widened at what he saw in front of him.

Jane and Thor decided to start dragging Thor, but not in enough time. She decided to lay down over Thor to try to protect him at least a bit, and Vanitas stood up and raised his arms in preparation. Hoping that his super strength would work, Vanitas closed his eyes and waited for the impact of the ship in his hands.

After a few seconds, the wind died, confusing both Vanitas and Jane. Vanitas looked up and saw that the ship had disappeared. He grabbed his head and saw Malekith on the ground on the Dark World. He exclaimed as his ship appeared over him and crushed _him_ instead. Vanitas could not stop himself from laughing.

"How's that for karma, you son of a bitch?" Vanitas asked the air.

"Everybody okay?" Erik asked, smile on his face as Darcy and Ian appeared near him.

"I'm good," Vanitas confirmed, giving him a thumbs up.

Jane sat up a bit and looked around before leaning down over Thor again. He opened his eyes and sighed out in relief.

"I hate to reuse an old beat," Vanitas remarked, smile on his face. "But... we won."

Even if everybody was tired, they couldn't help but agree with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The influx of chapters today was due to the fact I finished my schoolwork pretty quickly. I got bored


	10. Goodbye For Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thor and Vanitas tie up a few things in Asgard, and Vanitas has to move on

After tying up a few loose ends on Earth, they had to go back to Asgard through the Bifrost. They made their apologies to Odin while kneeling down at the steps of his newly constructed throne, but he dismissed them on his own.

"You once said there would never be a wiser king than me," Odin remarked, remembering Thor's earlier words. "You were wrong. The Alignment has brought all the realms together. Every one of them saw you both offer your lives to save them. And we don't know how we can ever repay you, Vanitas."

He looked towards his son.

"But what can Asgard offer its new king in return?" Odin asked.

"My life," Thor informed him. Both he and Vanitas stood up. "Father, I cannot be king of Asgard. I will protect Asgard and all the realms with my last and every breath with my friends and allies, but I cannot do so from that chair."

Odin didn't look that happy about Thor's words.

"Loki, for all his grave imbalance, understood rule as I know I never will," Thor remarked.

"Hell, he probably would have been a better king than Thor," Vanitas remarked.

"Exactly," Thor continued. "The brutality, the sacrifice... It changes you. I'd rather be a good man than a great king."

"Is this my son I hear, or the woman he loves?" Odin asked.

"When you speak, do I never hear Mother's voice?" Thor countered. Odin sighed out at his words. "This is not for Jane, Father. She does not know what I came here to say." Odin sat down. "Now, forbid me to see her, or say she can rule at my side. It changes nothing."

"One son who wanted the throne too much, another who will not take it," Odin assessed. "Is this my legacy?"

"Loki died with honor," Thor remarked. "I shall try to live the same. Is that not legacy enought?"

"Even if he denied it to the end, he died a son of Odin," Vanitas added. "To be honest, a hell of a better way to go out than a son of Laufey."

Odin took in both of their words. Ready, Thor raised Mjolnir to Odin upside down, prepared to give it back to him.

After a few seconds, Odin informed him, "It belongs to you. If you are worthy of it."

"I shall try to be," Thor complied.

"I cannot give you my blessing," Odin admitted, shaking his head slightly. "Nor can I wish you good fortune."

"I know," Thor admitted.

Both he and Vanitas turned away from him, preparing to leave.

"If I were proud of the man my son had become..." Odin started, causing them to look back at the king. "...even that, I could not say. It would speak only from my heart. Go... my son."

"Thank you, Father," Thor said, smiling at Odin.

"See you around, Ode," Vanitas called out, smiling as they turned away from him once again.

As they exited the throne room, Vanitas thought he could sense Odin's presence change, but decided against it. Even if he was king, how could Odin do something like that?

On their way to the observatory, Vanitas had another slight vision. He saw Sif and Volstagg delivering the Aether to some crazy looking dude named the Collector, saying something along the lines of "It would be unwise to have two Infinity Stones on Asgard." Once again, he questioned the importance of these Infinity Stones, but brushed them off. He had enough mysteries he had to figure out at the moment.

They reached the observatory and had Heimdall send them back to Earth. After thanking the man, they let the Bifrost take them back to the planet, where they landed on a roof. They found Jane waiting there for Thor, and the two didn't hesitate to embrace. Vanitas smiled at his friends being together, but gripped his head at another slight vision, showing him the hellhound from Jutonheim crashing through shipping tanks back in the shipping yard as it tried to bite at flying birds above them.

"We'll save that for another day," Vanitas muttered.

"Friend V," Thor remarked, just now realizing that Vanitas was still there. "I thought you had places you needed to be?"

"I do," Vanitas informed him. "But I stuck around to say goodbye first."

Thor smiled and hugged Vanitas, who returned it without hesitation, despite the wince in pain by the man's powerful hug.

"I will miss you, Friend V," Thor informed him as they broke the hug.

"Me, too," Jane said, hugging Vanitas as well. "You were definitely an interesting friend to have."

"As were you, Jane Foster," Vanitas sighed out as they broke the hug. "Tell Erik to keep his pants on and Darcy she's hot."

"We will," Jane laughed as Thor wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"And you," Vanitas remarked, pointing at Thor. "Next time you go off world, stay in contact with her! Long distance relationships only work on a two way street."

"I understand," Thor said, nodding his head. "And I will make sure I do so. I wish you luck on your journey, Friend V."

"Good, I'm gonna need it," Vanitas informed them as he lifted his left forearm to view his vortex manipulator. He pressed buttons as he kept talking. "Calculating the distance to the next world, figuring out which time frame to land, triangulating the exact landing location..."

"Are you making all this up?" Jane asked.

"Yep," Vanitas said with a smile on his face.

Jane and Thor laughed as Vanitas pressed the button, causing him to teleport away.

Curiously, Vanitas looked around to see himself in an area he somehow knew was called the Sandlot on a very bright world. Checking his vortex manipulator, he saw that he was on Twilight Town, the real one, not the Castle Oblivion illusion. He looked up in realization that this was where Roxas spent most of his time. Sensing that exact boy nearby, Vanitas smiled.

"Finally," Vanitas said, pulling out a hunting rifle, expecting Heartless. "We're back on track."

Vanitas cocked the rifle and ran up the closest staircase, ready for whatever happened next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is credited as one of the worst of the entire MCU. I don't get why it gets so much hate, even if I don't really agree with some of the points of the movie. Honestly, though, when I started doing this one, I was excited to more MCU stuff, but I started to grow slightly annoyed as I went on because I really wanted to get to the next Kingdom Hearts part. But, now I'm done, and can move on to Vanitas becoming friends with Roxas, Axel, and Xion, along with a growing friendship between Vanitas, and a surprise guest. I'm really excited for it

**Author's Note:**

> Anyone else wish Heimdall had a bigger impact in these? I mean, Idris Elba is awesome and a badass, and I kinda wish they let him do more


End file.
